Her Life For Theirs
by nhbdyuknow
Summary: The ruffs have grown stronger, and prove it by killing Blossom's sisters. She makes a deal with Brick in order to protect her loved ones. He takes her to his home and she expects to be killed, instead she's left alive. But if Brick doesn't want her dead, then what other plans could he have for her? Perhaps the red rowdyruff isn't as terrible as he seems...maybe he's worse.
1. Chapter 1

The ground beneath her tilted and pushed her to her knees, the wind behind her sucked the air from her lungs and forced her back to bend. Rain drops soaked her body and cascaded over her cheeks, melding with the tears that washed away her mascara, leaving dark trails on her pale skin. She brought her hand to her mouth and released a broken sob that split the air. Her body rippled with the force of her cries, an ache forming behind her temple. A stream of water pooled over her lips and she instinctively licked them, a sharp iron taste pricking her tongue. Her eyes opened then, fluttering apart and squinting through her damp eyelashes. Blood flowed from her head and trickled onto the ground before her, painting the cement crimson and disseminating into the puddles of rain. She looked at her hands which were already caked in dried blood, brought one to her face and touched the tender spot, and saw the fresh liquid on her fingertips. But the concern of her injuries quickly vanished as she once again was met with the sight of two limp bodies. Their skin was sickly pale and still trembling with electricity from the blast. Blood, so much blood, pooled beneath them, filling the crater they lay in. Her heart couldn't take the sight, the lack of joy on the blonde's face and the calmness struck on the other's. She forced herself to her feet, moving closer to them with slow steps, hunched over to try and ease the sharp pain in her stomach. The entire world was dark, vignetted and covered in the liquid that flowed from her cut. She reached them and dropped back to the ground, extended her arm and tried to touch them. She wanted to feel their icy skin, wanted the reassurance, wanted the final answer. But a hand stopped her.

He jerked her back roughly and she fell onto her butt, the impact causing her head to throb. She sucked in a breath as his lips neared her ear and she felt his hot breath on her neck, teasing her with his warmth. Her eyes stayed glued to the ground even as he wrapped his fingers around her throat and tried to tilt her head back. "Have you seen enough to know that you've lost?" His voice was low and threatening, just like everything about him, but it was also thick with pride. He had already determined his victory, already knew that she would bend to his will, and she could see it in his crimson glare that stared back at her in the puddle. He would do anything to have her, that was now clear to her. Because she was the only person who could match him and he didn't like that, he wanted ultimate power and authority, he wanted to reign over her, he wanted to watch her break. And now he would.

Her lack of a response drove him to snatch a fistful of her hair and haul her to her feet, where he could rest his chin in the crook of her neck and watch the tears slip down her cheeks. She trembled at the feel of his tall, firm body pressed against her tiny frame and the image of him snapping her in two spiraled through her mind. She sealed her eyelids shut.

"You may have been the smartest, but pride still over shines loyalty for you. Had you of simply agreed to my terms then none of this would have happened." He ran his thumb along her jaw. "I warned you, pinky, you're just deafened by your own knowledge." Fear stirred low in her stomach as his fingers grazed her skin and his breath whispered against her ear. His next words sent shivers down her spine. "Now, it's time to make a decision."

He held her chin firmly and twisted her face towards the bodies, forced her to stare at them as he spoke. "As you can see their time has run out. I could give you the full list of injuries that they've sustained...but instead I'll just give you the fatal ones. The blast basically fried them to death and they've lost well over 1500 milliliters of blood, as I'm sure you know losing more than 30% of your blood is almost always followed by death. But if that isn't proof enough that they're dead, then maybe this will help." Her eyes widened in utter horror as he took hold of her hand and yanked her down, directing her fingers to the grotesque corpses. She tried to curl her fingers back into her palm, now dreading the reassurance of their death, but he was too strong and a gasp escaped her lips as she felt their cold, stiff skin. Her fingertips brushed through their greasy, tangled mess of hair, touched their surreal wounds, pinched the torn, soiled fabric of their dresses, and caressed their unmoving faces. But Brick no longer guided her reach.

"They're gone." He hissed beside her. She didn't need him to say it, she knew already. And the sullen, dark pit of emptiness that filled her caused pain worse than that of a thousand knives. Guilt piled into the pit, stacking higher and higher the more she thought about her earlier actions. Until she felt she would shatter.

"You were right." His lips curved into a smirk at her voice. It was so broken that she could not utter anything else, so filled with terror and defeat. He loved the sound.

"I always am." Her body was once again pulled up against his. "Now that you've come to your senses...it's time to make a choice." She felt him shift and heard him grab hold of something, fear instantly filled her. He could do anything he wanted to her; slice her throat, cut out her eyes, tear open her chest and crush her barely beating heart in his hand. Instead, a syringe was held out in front of her face, filled to the brim with a black liquid. "This is Chemical X, as you know it makes up a large portion of our bodies. For regular humans, it would be plasma, for us it's Chemical X. You see, this stuff has the ability to reboot our entire system, unlike anything the medical field has ever seen. It's like liquid gold...for you at least." His grin stretched as he opened her palm and dropped the syringe in it. "Usually, one capsule full would be enough to regenerate a person but unfortunately, they're about 5 minutes dead, heading for 6. _At least_ one gallon will be necessary to save them and then you still have all of the injuries that need attention, all of the blood that needs to be refilled, no hospital could help you." His red eyes flickered with delight and she wrapped her fingers around the object in her hand. She met his glare in the puddle once again and made sure to put strength behind her words.

"What do I have to do?" His face lit up with ecstasy and she stared sadly at the corpses by her feet, unaware that she had just signed her life away to the devil.

* * *

The dress cascaded over her body in one perfect silk sheet, flowing against every curve and contrasting beautifully against her light skin. She pinched the maroon fabric and grimaced, it was flawless in every way yet the most horrendous thing she had ever worn, because it was bought by _him_. Her stomach sank as she forced herself to slip into a pair of beige heels. Tonight was the first time he was taking her outside, out of the large, most likely stolen, mansion she had been imprisoned in for nearly two weeks. Numerically, it didn't seem like that long of a time. But for her, it felt like decades. Her days consisted of tip toeing through any and all conversations with her captor, desperately hoping to avoid upsetting him, doing as he bid, being chained down and stuck in an empty room for hours, and sleeping. She referred to her current position as being kidnapped, however, kidnapping meant to take someone against their will. She had gone with him willingly. She supposed she preferred calling him her captor simply for the bad rep it gave him, something he deserved in spades.

She pulled the elastic band from her hair and released the strands from the long braid they had been strewn into. A curtain of burgundy waves shimmered and rippled as they rested against her back. The mirror before her shown the reflection of a fiery red headed leader who once commanded the Powerpuff trio, but inside she felt anything but powerful, she felt defeated, because she was.

The door opened and a voice called out to her. "Blossom."

Her saddened eyes shifted and she met his red glare, before he let his gaze sweep over her figure, taking in the sight of her wearing the dress he 'bought'. She knew he was pleased by the way his lips curved up on one side. "Brick."

He stuffed his hands into his pockets and she realized then that he wasn't matching her. She expected that he'd be wearing a suit of some kind, as irregular as that would be for him, seeing as she was forced to wear such an elegant dress. But instead he had just thrown on a hoodie and jeans. A tinge of anger threatened to make her speak, but she bit her tongue.

"You don't seem too excited to be going outside." His eyes showed sympathy but his voice lacked any form of compassion. "I thought this was what you wanted?" She knew he couldn't care less about what she wanted.

Her mouth remained shut and he took the hint that she didn't want to respond to his sarcastic words. So he jerked his head towards the hallway, a gesture for her to follow him as he left. She caught up to him quickly.

"Where are-?" He flashed her a look that instantly cut off her sentence.

"You don't get to ask questions."

She clenched her fists but said nothing.

After walking through the long hallway and down a flight of steep stairs, they exited the enormous house from the back door. She cautiously watched her counterpart as they made their way into the center of the backyard and then her eyes found the sight behind him to be more interesting. Since she was allowed into only three rooms that were all in the front section of the house, she never had a chance to see what laid behind it. Her head cocked to the side. Trees as tall as the mansion rose into the sky, casting her in a sheet of darkness. Behind the trees she could see the slivered moon and a few stars twinkling beside it. But most of the sky was covered by the thick foliage, which stretched to either sides of her view for miles. She still had no idea where she was, as Brick had knocked her unconscious before bringing her here, so for all she knew she could be surrounded by forests, in a place where no one would ever find her. Fortunately, she didn't want to be found.

"I didn't know there were still woods like these in Townsville." She spoke quietly, still searching her surroundings for some hint to her location.

Brick smirked at her. "Who says we're still in Townsville?"

She looked at him and couldn't determine whether he was telling the truth or teasing her based on his expression, which made her anxious. And then her anxiety fueled her lack of patience. "If you won't tell me where we're going, then can you at least show me?"

His face twitched at her words and he shot her a harsh glare. "I wouldn't be so anxious to get there if I were you. It's not something you'll enjoy."

Her throat tightened. She hated when he made her wait like this. Wild thoughts would run through her head, ideas of what he might have planned, and it would strike fear into her stomach and then she would become so stressed out that she felt she would puke. Every time things got worse. Yesterday, he had sat her in front of a tv. "I have a gift for you." He had said. "You're going to love it." He always knew how to word his sentences in order to make her panic, and every time she had a good reason to. She was made to watch as Brick's brothers burned down cities and destroyed precious monuments. The event made her sick but she couldn't do anything about it. She was supposed to be the hero who saved them, but she was no where to be found, lost to the world, in order to protect the ones she loved most.

Brick took off to the sky and she followed. It wasn't long before they arrived to their destination; a rock. Blossom frowned.

"Before you open your big mouth, pinky, this is the entrance." Brick explained before lifting the rock and tossing it aside, revealing a hole in the ground that, when Blossom peered into it, seemed to go on forever. She desperately wanted to ask where it lead to but decided she'd rather not be chastised.

"Come on." A gasp escaped her lips as he grabbed her arm and jumped into the tunnel, pulling her with him. She held back a squeal as they descended into the ground, oddly enough her powers were struck useless upon entrance, otherwise she would've flown. After a few seconds, she saw an orange glow beneath her that began to brighten and then she felt the heat rising from it and she screamed. She was going to fall into a pit of fire. Just as soon as she prepared for impact, she found herself wrapped in a pair of strong arms. Her eyes shot open. Brick raised an eyebrow at her.

"We haven't even gotten to the fun part yet, might wanna save that voice of yours." He spoke calmly, yet she saw the malicious glee in his eyes, and shivered. He flew into a horizontal tunnel, away from the flames, before releasing her. She hurried after him as he began to walk forward and her curiosity got the best of her.

"How come you can fly and I can't?"

He stopped and she feared he would hit her, instead he turned into another tunnel and didn't respond. She kept her mouth shut for the rest of the walk.

It was quite a long time before they finally reached the end of the tunnels and entered a small opening in the ground. Blossom tilted her head back and gazed up at the steep ceiling and then at the scene before her. The walls were just rock. A small floating television sat in front of a yellow chair and purple sofa. The floor was a brown and pink carpet and there was a coffee table in the middle of the room. She turned to Brick.

"Where are you, you gay fucking she-devil?!" He barked out to the empty space, causing her to jump. There was no response and he growled. "Get your pink ass out here! We've got some talking to do."

Blossom stared at him and he caught her judgmental look and grabbed her chin, hissing into her face, but before he could say anything a high-pitched voice pierced the air. "What are you doing here, you little brat!?"

Suddenly, the floor shook and cracked, the room breaking off from the walls and dropping into another room, a much larger one. The walls were now just one big television screen depicting black and white scenes and there were other chunks of rocks floating nearby, appearing as though they were other rooms. Blossom didn't have time to wonder where the hell she was because a familiar voice rang through the enormous room again.

"You insolent child! You dare threaten _me_ in _my_ house? I'll teach you how a boy should act towards his father!"

Her head quickly snapped to the side and she paled.

Brick stood a few feet away from a man dressed in a Santa-clause type suit with thigh high heels, a goatee, elf ears, red skin, and his signature lobster claws.

"Him?" She whispered under her breath, amazed by the sight. It had been an entire decade since she'd seen the horrendous villain and now it looked like she was in his home.

Suddenly, Brick threw his fist into the monster's face and a loud crack echoed through the 'room'. Blossom winced. Then, just as Him was getting back up, the red ruff hit him again, and again, and again, until blood was splattered on his fists and face. He took his 'father' by the throat and lifted him off the ground, driving a knife through one of his eye sockets and twisting it. Blossom had to cover her ears, unable to bear the sound of veins ripping. Brick showed no mercy, he continued to force the blade into Him's body repeatedly, littering the ground with a puddle of blood and guts. When the monster was dead, Brick tossed him off the rock chunk and Blossom couldn't help but watch his body fall. As he descended, his head collided with another rock and a piece of his brain was left behind. She held down the bile that rose up her throat.

"I've been wanting to get rid of that sick bastard for years." Brick muttered as he sauntered over to the sofa and threw himself across it. "Problem was, I needed an audience." His sadistic glare fell on her and she moved to sit beside him, practically reading his mind. "This place is better than the mansion, cuz my brothers don't know about it." He grabbed her chin again and forced her to look at him. "Wanna know why I brought you here?"

She tried to say, "Yes" but it came out as a whimper. He grinned and ran his thumb over her bottom lip, eyes pinned on her mouth. She wanted to pull away from him, despising his touch, but she didn't have a choice.

"I might not give a shit about much, but privacy is something I need." He spoke quietly, staring at her intensely. Then he angled her face up to meet his as he sealed a kiss against her lips. Her body went stiff at the action but she didn't resist. When his lips began to flutter over her neck she shivered and he held onto one of her wrists, pulling her close against him. Every part of her told her to fight, that this was wrong, yet the only thought that came to her mind was her sisters and so she let him continue. He kissed his way down her throat, peeling away her dress and letting his hands roam over her body, the fabric fell to the floor and she was left vulnerable underneath his hungry glare. She was painfully uncomfortable and all of her nerves were tingling. He took her face in his hand and looked her in the eye, she had never seen so much lust in a person's gaze.

"What happened, pinky? Aren't you going to fight back?" He pushed her onto her back harshly and leered over her. "Where's that stubbornness? Aren't you the leader of the puffs?" He licked her jaw and bit the skin, leaving bruises behind. His voice was filled with amusement, he loved this. "You're just going to let me take advantage of you, huh. Just bending to my will, you might as well name me your king, your god." His teeth grazed her collarbone and her chest rose to meet his lips as she sucked in a sharp breath. He took her wrists suddenly and pinned them over her head. She bit the inside of her cheek as he stared down at her, she was so sure he would eat her alive, his eyes were wild. "I bet I could've let your sisters die and you'd still be unresistant to my touch." He leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Don't tell me you're _enjoying_ this."

Guilt and disgust swirled within her stomach. Her mind ached for her to resist but now her body wanted more. She cursed herself for being so easy. It wasn't as though she liked Brick, no she absolutely _loathed_ the son of a bitch sitting on top of her, but it wasn't easy to deny his gorgeous physique and alluring red gaze. He was as handsome as she was pretty, and her virgin heart longed for his body. So she made a promise right then that she would NOT enjoy it.

"Brick." She murmured as his fingers teased the back of her bra. She urged herself to be strong. "Stop." The second the words left her mouth, she cringed, knowing she shouldn't have said anything.

He paused and gave her a look so fierce that she was forced to avert her gaze, afraid he would burn her alive. Of course he wasn't happy that she was denying him, it was Brick, if she didn't bend to his will then there'd be problems. She held her breath as he glowered down at her, his grip hard as steel, and then he surprised her. His face broke into a grin and he turned her face to him. "Are you giving me orders?" He questioned. "You want mercy...from me?" Then he laughed out loud and it was a sound that made her wince because it was full of glee; fueled by her vulnerability. Brick slipped his hand into his back pocket and all she saw was the glint of metal before a blade was pressed to her cheek. He shook his head. "You just keep getting dumber and dumber, pinky. You know me, you really think I'm going to abide to your orders? That I'm gonna go easy simply because you don't like it? _You do as I wish_ now, not the other way around." He dragged the knife firmly against her cheek and she shuddered as warm blood ran down her face. "If I wanted to cut off your hand, would you try to stop me?"

She bit her lip hard, knowing what answer he wanted. "No."

"If I wanted to shave off all of your hair what would you do?"

"Nothing."

"If I screwed you right here, would you tell me no?"

"No."

He grabbed her hair and pulled her face closer to his, so close that she could smell his cologne. "What if I tried to kill your sisters...would you still obey me?"

She didn't give him an answer immediately and he seethed. She stayed silent for too long. He wrapped his fingers tightly around her throat and slammed her head down.

"I'll ask again; if I tried to kill your sisters, would you still obey me?" His crimson eyes glittered with fire that threatened to explode.

She took a moment to recollect herself before responding. "Yes." The flame dulled but still flickered. "Always."

He smirked and pressed a harsh kiss to her lips, once again she felt herself grow sick and wanted to wrench herself out of his grasp. But it didn't matter what he did to her or how she felt, all that mattered was that her sisters were safe, and that she abided to his commands.

authors note: I just recently realized that all three of my PPG stories have a very similar theme where Brick holds Blossom captive and I apologize for that, hopefully my future stories will be a bit more creative:)


	2. Chapter 2

She awoke to the sight of trees hanging off of a dark green sky, reaching towards a pitch black ground. Her head lolled to the side and knocked into the solid wall of someone's chest. She looked up. Brick was carrying her, and he didn't look happy. She tried to struggle out of his arms but one movement sent a piercing pain shooting through her head and she groaned in agony.

"Keep being difficult and see what happens." Brick barked out, causing her to flinch away and consequently receive another painful ache. She decided it was best to obey so she awkwardly folded her hands together over her stomach and rested her head partly against his chest and arm.

It wasn't surprising that he was angry, not after what she had done. After her order for him to stop, he oddly obeyed and left her alone for a few hours and she found herself drifting to sleep. But then he was on her again and she was jolted out of a nightmare which caused her to scream and slap him across the face. It wasn't on purpose, he knew that, but it was also Brick and he didn't accept excuses. So when she tried to stammer out an apology, he cracked her over the head with the table and knocked her unconscious.

She sighed silently and glanced up at the night sky. Stars stippled the darkness, some flashing in reds or blues, others shooting by like mini rockets, and then the moon shown in the center. The entire forest was illuminated in it's glow, shimmering and casting a surreal aura to the atmosphere. Everything moved. The trees rustled in the light breeze. The grass bristled. The sky was alive with beauty. And she could hear animals dashing in and out of the light, searching for their late dinner. She allowed her eyes to flutter shut, breathing in the scent of nature and letting her mind drift. But soon, the only sound she could focus on was the soft breaths of her counterpart. She looked up at him again. His glare was anything but soft, his face still set in a glower. Deep thoughts entered her mind then. She continued to stare at him, wondering how someone so beyond the laws of science and nature, who was dripping with incredulity, every essence of his being magnificent and unique, could be so hateful. He could singlehandedly claim world dominance in an instant if it weren't for her. Wasn't that what he wanted? Being a villain? But here she was, no longer in his way, and he hadn't made a single move to take over. Now that she thought about it, Mojo was the one who always wanted world domination, the ruffs simply wanted to defeat the puffs. Was that all he wanted? Her demise? Then why hadn't he killed her?

"_Oh my god_ would you STOP thinking so goddamn much?" Brick hissed, glaring down at her before releasing her from his arms. She would have dropped to the ground if she didn't have super powers.

"I can't help it." She stated simply, hovering beside him.

He scoffed. "Can't help it? Why...because you're the 'smart' one?"

She shrugged, not meeting his glare. "Maybe."

His eyes narrowed. "You need a reality check, babe. Cuz you're anything but smart. I mean look at the fucking mess you got yourself into. How'd that brilliant plan go again? Get your sisters killed so you can become your arch nemesis' slave? Right," He nodded. "Mind blowing intelligence." The anger and frustration slipped through his words and for a moment she felt bad. Brick was only ever angry, maybe that's why he wore red so much. Not only did it match his eyes, it matched his personality. Could he help it? Or was he created this way? Created to be nothing but a blood thirsty, malicious, rage-filled boy who's only wish was to kill his counterpart. The thought saddened her.

"I'm sorry." She muttered softly and held her head down. She didn't want to upset him, she didn't want to be hit again, she just wanted him to relax, to show some emotion besides anger. She wanted to know that he was human. "I would hope you'd know and try to understand how difficult it is for me to give up. Being a hero means fighting for a cause until your last breath, and that's how I was raised. Just as you were taught to be a villain-"

"I wasn't taught." He snapped, cutting her off momentarily.

She paused to glance at him and realized her words were only serving to further anger him. She sucked in a breath. "I only want to keep my sisters safe. Thats it. If you want to kill me then get it over with. As long as they're alive, nothing else matters."

He stared back at her and crossed his arms. "I want you to admit it."

She blinked. "Admit what?"

"Admit that you were too prideful. That you refused to step off your high horse in order to protect your sisters until I gave you no other choice because you're _selfish_. _Vain._ And just as much of a villain as I am." He walked closer to her. "Tell me that you're no hero."

She opened her mouth.

"And don't even try to argue with me, pinky. You may think my ego is as big as yours but no one could ever match your pathetic, stubborn demeanor." He snatched her wrist and sneered into her face. "Admit it."

Her heart had begun to beat faster, now pounding against her chest as though it wanted to tear through her body. She couldn't look away from Brick's intense glare, even as it struck fear into every fiber of her being. He wanted an answer, now, and she had to give him one.

"I am stubborn and vain, and selfish, and pathetic. I'm whatever you say I am, because whatever I am you are too. So who would know me better than you?" Her words weren't blatantly insulting, but if he caught the edge to her voice then he would surely see her intentions.

He released her arm and raised an eyebrow. "That's the first smart thing you've said since your sister's accident. Congratulations, pinky, you aren't brain dead yet." He pinched her cheek, pushed her aside, and flew off, all while holding a neutral expression. She watched him go, confusion swarming her. Then she grabbed her head as the aching returned and let his words sink in.

"Yet."

* * *

The mansion was alive with lights and music and the obnoxious voices of Butch and Boomer when they returned. The place held a golden glow from the chandeliers and not a single room was dark, nor clean. Butch had trashed the living room in various video game boxes, discs, and cords. He continued to scavenge throughout, searching for something that he seemed to be fairly worked up about. Boomer was in the kitchen scrambling to cook 2 things at once, flying from one end to the other in an attempt to stir a pan of some form of sauce and shake a basket full of an unfamiliar food submerged in crackling oil. Dishes and ingredients were everywhere, all over the counters and some on the floor, Boomer was even drenched in flour. When Brick walked in and observed the mess, he gave Boomer a look of disapproval and his brother simply shrugged in response before returning to his work.

"You better not leave the place like this." Brick spoke casually.

Boomer shot him a glare. "Don't give me orders, you have a slave for that now." And then he directed his glare at Blossom, who flinched.

She didn't know why, but almost immediately after becoming Brick's 'slave' Boomer hated her. The first day that she was allowed out of Brick's room, she had run into Boomer and he threw an absolute fit. He had punched her in the face and attempted to hit her with an electric baseball bat, but Brick intervened and explained everything. Boomer was NOT happy about it. He argued with Brick for almost an hour and then Butch jumped in and told Boomer to stop being a pussy, which finally shut him up. It wasn't like she was going to harm him or bother him in any way, she wasn't a nuisance and she wasn't _his_ enemy, so what was his problem? She figured it was just a ruff thing. No puffs allowed. But Butch had been perfectly fine with it all. Not that she had run into him much, seeing as she was allowed in only three rooms, but every time she saw him he greeted her happily as though he had never tried to kill her and her sisters before. It was strange, but so was Butch.

Brick took a seat at the counter in the middle of the kitchen and Blossom was hesitant to join him, until he gave her a very subtle nod. She sat beside him and instantly felt terrified. Here she was, sitting in the ruffs' kitchen, beside her counterpart, whilst Boomer cooked dinner, and none of them were trying to kill each other. Although, Boomer might have been thinking of killing her. She began to chew her lip as a long silence passed over them.

Then, as she adjusted to the awkwardness, she began to admire her surroundings. The kitchen wasn't overly big, it was pretty similar to her kitchen at home except it had stunning, marble counters, spotless tiled floors, a high-tech looking stove and fridge, and a magnificent chandelier hanging above from the steep ceiling. She slowly turned her head and looked to the nearest room which was the dining room. It was bigger than the kitchen, with windows replacing a wall. It resembled a hallway, it was a rectangular shape, long in length but short in width. The table placed inside it was just as long with enough chairs to seat twenty people. There were bright, golden lights in there, too, but they weren't chandeliers. She then spun around fully in her chair to look at the place where she and Brick had just walked in from. It was pretty much the main entrance since there were no rooms in between the front and back entrances and it was glorious. In the center of the room was a huge staircase with gold railings and crystal steps, shimmering above it was an object that resembled a disco ball but was clear and had long strings of diamonds hanging from it. Everything in the mansion was bright, beautiful, yet simple. Nothing had intricate designs or radiant colors, only whites and grays and glittering gemstones.

"Blossom."

She whipped around so fast that she nearly toppled out of her chair. Brick frowned at her.

She was surprised to find Boomer standing opposite from her across the counter. He folded his arms. "Do you like calamari?"

Her eyebrows knit together. The word sounded familiar, like something she had seen on the menu at a fancy restaurant, but she couldn't think of what it was exactly. She was hesitant to answer.

"I'm gonna guess she's never had it." Brick stated. "Doesn't matter if she likes it or not."

She glanced at him then back at Boomer. The blonde was biting his lip and seemed slightly saddened.

"Okay." He said simply before turning back to the stove.

"I can talk." She muttered.

Brick didn't look at her. "Does it matter?"

It wasn't a question. She sighed and decided to survey Boomer as he cooked. He was quite thin compared to his brothers, his lanky body much more swift and gentle in his movements. His hair was shoulder length and straight, and he had pulled it into a bun. Bubbles loved men with longer hair because she always wished she could run her fingers through it. Blossom rubbed her temple. It was so painful to think of her sisters, even though she did it all the time. She would get to see them again, hopefully, maybe once she got on Brick's good side. But even if she didn't, she was just glad they were alive. She imagined how they must have reacted to seeing the note she'd left them. Brick and his brothers had brought her sisters to their secret hideout, which was an underground cellar with piles of drugs, alcohol, and Chemical X. There, they dosed both girls with enough Chemical X to save them before they began the surgeries. Bubbles had a gash on the back of her head that needed stitches and Buttercup's leg was broken. Blossom had been forced to wait above ground, unable to witness what was going on inside. Once they finished, Bubbles and Buttercup were returned to their house. Blossom left them a note, knowing she needed to at least provide them with an explanation so that they wouldn't live out their lives searching for their lost sister. It had been simple:

_Girls, when you wake up don't be surprised to find me gone. The injuries we all sustained from the battle were enough to kill us, they would have killed us, but obviously you're not dead. I found a stash of Chemical X in the basement, it must have been leftover from the Professor. There was only enough for two people and you were both out cold, so I made the decision for you. I injected you both with it and that's why you're alive right now, reading this. I had just enough energy left in me to save you two and there's no other way I would have wanted to spend the last few minutes of my life than protecting my sisters. Don't be sad. Don't cry over me. I love you both so much, please don't blame yourselves, I did it so you could have good lives. Don't waste your lives thinking about me. Be happy, be heroes. Your leader will still be by your side. Forever and always._

Blossom knew how badly it would hurt them and she knew they would still blame themselves even after reading the note. But they would get over it and create new, better lives. The Powerpuff girls might not be the same without their leader, but they'd still stay strong and protect the world. She knew they would.

"Here." A plate was put in front of her and she looked down at it in awe. A stack of small, fried food that slightly resembled onion rings sat beside a bed of lettuce that was tossed with tomatoes and peppers. In a little cup there was an orange colored sauce with flecks of parsley. She tilted her head at the dish.

"Is this calamari?" She questioned.

Boomer nodded and she realized he had been watching her and still was. She picked up a fork and hooked one of the rings on it, the crunch of the breading sounding wonderful to her ears. She dipped it in the sauce, glanced at Boomer to see if she was doing something wrong, then put the calamari in her mouth. The taste that overwhelmed her taste-buds was incredible. She went to take another one when a hand shot out and stopped her, snatching away the fork. Brick turned her face to his and he growled.

"You're having an allergic reaction."

She frowned then felt the sudden swelling of her tongue which quickly spread down her throat. She got to her feet, grabbing onto her throat as it began to close shut. Brick swept her up into his arms and rushed her upstairs, into the bathroom. He placed her on the toilet and dug through the cabinets, throwing objects all over as he blindly searched for something. Her eyelids were just beginning to flutter shut when a needle was jabbed into her thigh. She felt the thick liquid push into her muscle and spread throughout her body, instantly loosening her throat. She sucked in a breath of air and took a moment to simply breathe, then she looked up at Brick, who looked pissed as hell.

"That fucking son of a bitch." He clenched his fists and spun on his heel, storming back downstairs.

Blossom ran after him. "Brick what are you-"

"He knew you were allergic. He tried to fucking kill you." His face was growing more and more red with every step. They jogged down the steps.

"But that's not possible. Brick, how could he know?" She was shocked that he was allowing her to ask questions but he was also focused on taking his anger out on his brother at the moment, so it was understandable that he didn't care.

They entered the kitchen and Boomer turned around only to be met with a hard strike to the jaw. Brick grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and threw him across the room. Boomer flew through the dining room and broke through the windows, rolling to a stop outside. Brick followed after him and stood over his brother, furious.

"How the fuck did you know?" Brick growled.

Boomer sat up and rubbed his head. "Her sister. While we were fighting I suggested I take Blossom on a date to Red Lobster-" Brick's eyes glowed. "-As a _joke_. And then she said I couldn't because she's allergic to seafood."

Blossom mentally groaned, she had discussed revealing information like that with Bubbles before.

Brick's temper didn't change. "What did I say about messing with things that are mine?"

Boomer glared up at him. "She's a puff, isn't that why you took her? So you could kill her? Without her we'd be able to do whatever we wanted, we could-!"

"_Thats not why I took her_." Brick's voice was dangerously low and threatening, it instantly shut Boomer up. "And we can do whatever we want already. She isn't going to stop us, neither are her sisters."

Boomer was about to respond.

"But we aren't going to do anything. We aren't like the monkey and the gay lobster, we don't want world domination. Got that?" Boomer nodded. Brick lit his hand on fire. "Now remember this; don't _ever_ touch her again. Don't even THINK about killing her. She's not yours to fuck with, so back off." He leaned into his brother's face. "You hear me?!"

Boomer backed away, nodding quickly, face pale with fear. Blossom almost found it amusing...almost.

Brick then turned to her and took her arm, leading her back into the house and up to his room, leaving Boomer behind, to cower in the dirt.


	3. Chapter 3

The nightmares woke her from her sleep and she began to stir, her body trembling from the far too realistic dream. She tried to stay still as she was wrapped tightly in Brick's arms, pressed against his chest, but he was already awake.

"What do you see?" He murmured, red irises gleaming in the darkness of the room.

It had been 4 days since Boomer attempted to kill her and he was more protective of her than she had ever seen. He was constantly at her side, always grabbing her and pulling her with him or holding onto her whenever his brothers were nearby. After traveling outside to Him's, she was now allowed to go anywhere in the house, as long as he was with her. It made her feel much better. She felt free and fresh, no longer trapped within a room. But having Brick next to her every second was not something she enjoyed. Especially at night, when he would pull her to him and not let her leave. Being so close, he woke every time she did and most of the time tears would be streaming down her face or she would be gasping for air. He quickly realized she was having nightmares, but this was the first time he had asked about them.

She felt his heart beat against her own chest and tried to focus on the sound, letting it soothe her back into a state of calm. "You know what I see."

He watched her eyelids flutter shut, her breathing steadied. "Yeah, but I want you to describe it."

She felt like crying. He always did this. He would pretend to care, he would be gentle and kind, and then he would twist her emotions around and stab her in the heart, bringing back the pain that he loved to watch her endure. She shuddered. "My sisters in the pit."

"More."

Her throat grew tight. "Blood everywhere, all over them. They aren't breathing. Their skin is pale and cold. They won't even open their eyes or smile."

"How do you feel, seeing them dead?"

She hated him.

"I feel like the entire world has crumbled on top of me and it's now weighing down on my chest while a thousand needles pierce my heart." She paused, opening her eyes to glare at him. "But I also feel rage."

He smirked. "Rage towards who? Who's fault was this?"

A tear streaked down her face. "Me, I did this." And it was true. Brick may have been the one to physically kill her sisters but he had also saved them. It was her who had allowed it to happen. Had she of just agreed to Brick's terms earlier and listened to his threats, her sisters lives never would have been jeopardized. The only person she could be mad at was herself.

"Maybe you are smart after all, Red." His voice was low in her ear.

She furrowed her brows. "Red?"

His fingers rested on her neck. "It's your new nickname." Then he molded his lips to hers and she unwillingly kissed back. You're supposed to feel fireworks and butterflies when you kiss someone, but all she felt was emptiness and her stomach sank deeper with every kiss.

* * *

Blossom sat beneath a large oak tree with her legs crossed beneath her, somewhat shaded from the bright sun. Her hair fell over her face and shimmered in the light as she bowed her head into a book. Brick had allowed for her to go outside today, although he was still only a few feet away from her. She took advantage of the opportunity and had spent the morning outside reading. Finding a library in the mansion was a beautiful surprise for her. Apparently, Brick hadn't been aware of the library until she stumbled upon it. She had scooped up a decent armful of books and brought them into the backyard with her, much to Brick's dismay seeing as he and his brothers hated books. Blossom had always loved them and not because she was a nerd. After middle school, she lost interest in school. She still got good grades but she didn't stress day and night over it. She was naturally smart, that was all. In no way was she a nerd. But a lot of people assumed she was because she so often had her face crammed into a book. She couldn't properly describe to anyone why she so deeply loved to read. It was something about the serenity it brought her and the way that she was able to transport to a different world, allow her mind to drift away and make all her worries disappear. At a time like this, a book was exactly what she needed.

"Whatchya reading?"

She glanced up and smiled lightly at seeing Butch. "Beneath the Stars."

He raised an eyebrow and sat across from her in the grass. "Never heard of it."

"It's about a girl that gets forced into going on a date every night with a guy she hates because he blackmailed her and they eventually fall in love, I think." She frowned, glancing at the back cover of the book. "Actually, I don't know if they fall in love. It's not supposed to be a romance novel."

He nodded, appearing fairly interested. "Is there a lot of action?"

"I would say so."

"How about violence."

"Yes."

His eyes lit up. "I'm reading that when you're done."

She blinked. "Wait what? A ruff...reading?"

Butch narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong with that?"

She shook her head quickly and averted her gaze. "Nothing, nothings wrong with it, sorry."

Butch's face softened. "You don't have to be scared of me."

She continued to stare at the ground. "I'm not scared of you but Brick said-" She looked to the side and saw her counterpart near the house, not paying any attention to them. She continued, "He told me not to talk to you like a friend."

He was silent for a moment. She looked up at him and he gave her a sad smile. "...well I don't want to get you into trouble."

Her chest ached as she watched Butch get to his feet and walk back to the house. She was actually enjoying talking to him about her book. But Brick always had to intervene.

When he saw Butch walk into the house, Brick turned around and caught Blossom's eye. He strode over to her.

"Why do you always have to watch me? I'm not going to run away." She murmured softly as he stopped in front of her.

He pulled her to her feet. "What did I say about asking questions?"

She huffed and followed him into the mansion. He led her to the kitchen where he motioned for her to take a seat.

"Hungry?" He questioned, opening the fridge to inspect it's contents.

"Kind of." She never really thought about food anymore. All she ever ate was frozen pizza or eggos, which Brick would insist on making for her because she apparently couldn't do anything herself. Her mind was always elsewhere. But at the sight of bacon her stomach rumbled. "You know how to cook?"

Brick laid a few strips of bacon into a pan and turned the heat up high. He cracked a couple of eggs into another pan before setting peppers and onions onto a chopping board. Blossom watched in amazement as he sliced the pepper in half and meticulously removed the seeds before dicing it. She slid out of her seat to get a closer look.

"Doesn't that burn your eyes?" She questioned as Brick chopped the onion.

He scoffed, "I shoot lasers out of my eyes and have X-ray vision, I don't think an onion is gonna bother me."

She leaned over the stove and flinched as the bacon popped and a fleck of oil landed on her. "So you and Boomer can both cook?"

"For the most part." He stated flatly. "He's better than me. I know the basics but only because I grew sick of eating pizza and burgers everyday. Boomers always loved cooking." He flipped the bacon. "Butch started a fire boiling water."

She giggled and shuffled back so that he could drop the onions and peppers into the egg. "Good thing he likes pizza so much."

Then it dawned on her. Brick was letting her have a normal conversation with her, without any threats or snide remarks. She paused. He actually made her laugh.

"You're thinking again."

She blinked and found Brick staring at her, one of his eyebrows arched. She bit her lip. "I know."

He folded the egg in on itself then set it on a plate. He placed three strips of bacon beside the omelette and handed it to her. She looked down at the food, still shocked by the fact that he could cook.

"Stop thinking about it and just eat." He ordered, a small smirk playing at his lips. She gave him a smile before sitting at the counter and digging in. It was delicious. Maybe she could find a way to enjoy living with Brick for the rest of her life after all...maybe.


	4. Chapter 4

The rain pounded against the roof in heavy sheets, echoing throughout the entire house. Thunder shook the walls and lightning cracked across the sky, it's light rippling and flashing against the curtains. Blossom stood at the window. The sky was dark but with every strike of lightning the world would light up and reveal the storm. The woods surrounding the mansion were covered in shadows and every time there was a flash of light she swore she saw something run in between the trees. She gazed at the water droplets gliding down the window pane. They reminded her of the tears that would always slip from Bubbles' eyes, often times provoked by insults thrown by Buttercup. She missed her sisters deeply and longed to give them one last hug, one final goodbye. But she knew her sacrifice and she knew that what she had done was all she could do, she had made the right decision, the _only_ decision. It hurt, it always would, but Brick helped distract her from the pain with his own inflictions. She sighed and moved away from the window. Brick was still in bed, unaware of her absence. He looked unusually peaceful, his face set in a calm expression, crimson eyes no longer glaring at her. She walked over to him and watched as he took shallow breaths, his chest rising and falling. The more she got to know him, the worse she felt for him. She could see a side to him that others couldn't. Maybe it was because she was his counterpart or maybe it was because he secluded himself from all other people. Either way, her heart hurt for him. He had the potential to be a great guy, she believed it more and more every time he gave her a playful smirk. The way his usually furious red eyes glimmered with delight and his face relaxed into a small smile, she saw it, she saw the good in him. But she believed that that good was too deep within him and there was no way to reach it anymore. Brick was a villain and he always would be, that was who he was meant to be and who he chose to remain. And that's why it hurt her, to know that he could have been a good guy and fought alongside her, but instead he chose a path that would lead him to only misery and hate, and unfortunately she was forced to follow him. And yet, she still saw a glimmer of hope.

She brushed her fingers over his hand and a roar of thunder rocked against the house. Brick's eyes shot open. He saw her hand on his and then found her eyes. They held each other's gaze. Blossom's pink irises glittered with fear and she began to retract her hand, when he caught her wrist.

"What are you doing?" He questioned her, securing her wrist in a solid grip.

She looked at his hand then back at him. "I couldn't sleep."

Another roar of thunder hit the house, he stared at her with an indiscernible look in his eyes. She resisted the temptation to cower away. The room lit up with a flash of lightning and in one swift movement, he had pulled her to him and into a deep kiss. Her stomach flipped and he pulled her closer, just like before. This time, however, he was gentle and something odd happened. A flutter in her chest. The absence of disgust.

Suddenly, she pulled away from his lips, making him frown. Fear stirred low in her stomach but she let him hold her face in his hand. "You don't even realize..." He paused, eyes locked on her face but never meeting her gaze. His cheeks were flushed, but not in a form of embarrassment. She rested her hand on his arm. His skin was hot to the touch, feverish. She grew concerned.

"Brick, are you feeling okay?"

He didn't respond and she leaned forward, pressing her palm to his forehead. It was just as hot. She grabbed his face gently and tilted it towards her, his eyes were bloodshot. She then touched his neck and felt for a pulse. Her eyes widened at feeling his heart race. Usually, there would be no concern for a fever but superhumans like them didn't get sick.

"We need to get you to a hospital or a scientist, someone who could-"

"No." He cut her off. "I'll be fine, just let me rest."

She shook her head. "Brick, you're not fine. This could be serious. We really need to get you checked out-"

"_Enough_ Blossom." He groaned as he sat up, holding onto his head. "I'm not going to go see some stupid doctor over a fucking fever."

She opened her mouth to argue but he shot her a warning glare and she silenced herself. She watched him ease out of bed and into the bathroom. Even if he said he was fine, she knew something was wrong, she knew the minute he opened his eyes and the evil glint was missing from them. Somehow, she needed to get him help.

Blossom found Butch in the living room watching TV. He sensed her presence almost instantly and turned around. He saw the worried look on her face and questioned it.

"Somethings wrong with Brick but I don't know what. He said he's fine but if anyone can tell when he's not okay, it's me. We need to get him help." She explained, her voice sounding panicked.

Butch got to his feet. "What do you mean? Is he dead?"

She released an irritated sigh. "No, Butch, he's not dead. But he has what seems like a fever, which is impossible. We can't get fevers."

He furrowed his brows. "That's weird...hmm." Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "I know!"

Her face brightened. "What? Tell-!" She stumbled as he shot out of the house in a blur of green, nearly knocking her over. She glared. "Wow, great help you are."

_BANG_

Her head shot up and she rushed upstairs. She ran into the bathroom connected to Brick's room and gasped, her face going sickly pale at seeing Brick on the ground. She immediately knelt beside him and flipped him over as quickly as she could, searching for a pulse. Relief flooded her as she found his heart still beating and his lungs still working, but both organs were functioning extremely slowly. She cursed and dropped her head into her hands, wanting to scream. There was nothing for her to do. She didn't know where she was, didn't know where the nearest hospital could possibly be, didn't even know if a hospital could help a superhuman like Brick, and she had no idea if she could even save him in time or if he was going to die. She slumped back against the wall and raked her brain for ideas. Nothing. She clenched her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut to hold back the tears of frustration that threatened to spill. What could she do? Where could she go? She was lost.

The door flew open.

"Brick!" Butch shouted.

"Blossom?"

She spun around. "Mojo?!"

The green chimpanzee stood beside Butch in the doorway, his eyes narrowed and a med kit in his hand. She glared at Butch.

He put his hands up in defense. "He was the only person I could think of. He knows Brick better than any other doctor."

She was going to respond but Mojo interjected. "He is correct. I have a much deeper comprehension of Brick's anatomy than any other doctor in this world and only I would be able to give him even a slight chance if there was any possibility for survival which only I would be able to identify if there was or not because I am his creator and I know his composition meaning only I know how to-"

"JUST FUCKING FIX HIM!" Both men stared at her. She clenched her fists, trying to calm down. "His breathing is already shallow and his heart rate is decreasing by the minute."

Mojo nodded and knelt on the opposite side of Brick from her. He began to check his pulse, listen to his breathing, look at his pupils, read his temperature, and take other tests with instruments she couldn't name. It only took a few minutes before he finished and put away his medical objects. Blossom watched him expectantly, waiting for an answer. He got up and walked out, without saying a word. Her anger surged and she shot to her feet, storming after him.

"Mojo what the hell-!?"

He turned around and shushed her harshly, motioning for her to follow him. She did so silently, even as he lead her into the backyard, away from the house. He stopped after glancing around and making sure no one was nearby. When he looked at her, it was the first time she ever saw real sadness in her childhood nemesis' face.

"Do you recall the first battle you had with the Rowdyruffs?" He questioned. She nodded. "Well, when you kissed them, they blew up. Then, Him altered them so that they were no longer so unstable as to detonate from a kiss. So physical affection is no longer harmful for them..." He hesitated, rubbing his temple.

"Mojo, why are you telling me this?" She asked.

He sighed heavily. "Because whilst physical affection is harmless, emotions are still too strong for their bodies to sustain. They were created to hate and destroy and inflict misery upon others, not to love." He looked her in the eye. "Brick is dying."

Her heart stopped. "What!?"

"I'm afraid he's grown to have emotions that he was not made to permit."

She shook her head. "But, you're saying love is killing him. How can that be? He's never around anyone but me, he never goes anywhere without-" Her body went stiff.

Mojo nodded slowly, his face appearing much older as it sank with the stress of the current situation. He picked up his med kit and gave her one last glance. A single tear traveled down her cheek. "He's falling in love with you."


	5. Chapter 5

When Mojo left, all hell broke loose.

Boomer had heard the chaos upstairs and when he found Brick's body, he attacked Blossom.

"You stupid fucking bitch I knew this would happen!" He had punched her in the face and leapt at her so quickly that she didn't have a chance to react. The next thing she knew was that Butch was pulling him off of her and she was covered in blood, her face a mess. They tried to explain to Boomer what had happened but he insisted that she had killed Brick and that struck a chord with her because in a way, she had killed him. Although he wasn't dead yet.

"Boomer, please, we need to help him. We can't waste time fighting right now!" She said as she brought Brick to the bed.

Boomer shot a look at her so fierce that it could have sent a dagger through her. She tried her best to ignore him.

She once again felt for a pulse on Brick's neck and was relieved to find him still alive, but barely. Butch had no idea what to do and Boomer wasn't willing to help in any way so Brick's life was in her hands.

"What could possibly help him? I don't understand." She began to pace the room, her head throbbing as she raked her brain for any ideas.

"I don't know if this would be helpful, but after you girls kissed us and we blew up, Him brought us back." Butch stated, both him and Boomer standing in the center of the room watching her.

She rolled her eyes. "Thanks Butch, I didn't notice."

He crossed his arms. "Well, I wasn't finished. Him brought us back by going to the place of our death and pouring Chemical X all over it and boom, the boys are back in town." He made a motion that represented an explosion.

She sighed. "But that still doesn't help us figure out how he could stay alive. If we bring him back and he has the same emotions then he'll just die again." She tapped her finger against her chin. "Him gave you guys an anti-cootie serum back when he resurrected you, making you immune to our kisses..."

"So do we just give him a shot of that?" Butch questioned, cocking his head to the side.

Blossom frowned. "No, because kisses and love are different, they have varying levels of affection. Kisses are physical and light, they hardly have any meaning. While the feeling of 'being in love' is emotional and goes much deeper in it's complexity."

Butch gave her a blank look but Boomer began to nod. "Then we need the next level of an anti-cootie serum."

"Yes, exactly. But what could that be?" She wondered and both boys also went into deep thought.

Then, it struck her.

"Him." She stated, catching the boys' attention. "He was the one who got the serum, maybe it wasn't an anti-cootie serum at all but _part_ of him. Like magic. He gave some of his powers to you in order to make you stronger so that you could defeat us. But it wasn't enough magic to stabilize your composition, your ingredients still need more magic to be able to properly bind together and withstand emotions." Then she thought to herself, 'that's why Brick was able to fly in Him's underground lair and I wasn't.'

Butch grinned. "So we just need to ask him for more of his magic!"

Suddenly, her face fell. "We can't."

Boomer mocked her frown. "Why not?"

She bit her lip, again trying to search her brain for ideas. "Brick killed him."

After processing her words, the boys went into a flurry of curses and shouts, but she didn't hear them. She looked at Brick. His pale form was motionless, she couldn't even see the rise and fall of his chest because his breaths were so minuscule, and his face was twisted in pain, eyebrows knit together and jaw clenched. She was running out of time.

"Bloss, what're we gonna do?" Butch asked her once him and Boomer finally calmed down.

Him was obviously the only answer to saving Brick, she just didn't know how. What she did know was that Brick only had one chance and she wasn't going to let him die. So she scooped him into her arms and turned to his brothers.

"We're going to Him's."

* * *

The place had changed since she'd left it. All of the separated chunks of land came together to form one large room that was cast in darkness from the empty walls. No pictures flashed across them anymore. The furniture and tables had crumbled so that stuffing and shards of wood now littered the floor. The only noise in the room was the sound of the static on the TV. She landed on the floor and it groaned from the weight. She hovered above and watched a crack splinter through the ground, threatening to collapse. She slowly flew forward. She guessed that the barrier which had restricted her powers before had now fallen due to Him's death. It seemed that the entire place had fallen and began to decay with Him. The walls peeled away like wallpaper, except the peelings were just as black and empty and nothing was behind them. The ceiling was no different and flakes of what seemed to be ash rained down, flecking her hair and skin. She shivered as a sudden chill filled the cave.

"Fuck..." One of the boys murmured.

She looked down and gasped. A pile of at least a hundred bodies laid on the ground, their skin blue and peeling, their eyes wide and staring into her own, seeming to follow her movement. They were dead. The ones on the bottom were more grotesque than the ones on top. Their bones were peaking out from behind dead skin that looked like it had been eaten away by the chemicals within it. Worms, mice, and small parasites scattered themselves among the bodies, their feeding causing blood to flow from the host.

"Why are these here?" She whispered, almost concerned that someone besides the boys would hear her.

"He fed on people's souls, but didn't need the bodies, so he left them here I guess." Boomer spoke.

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, erasing the image from her mind, before continuing on. Brick's heart beat was so faint that she could no longer hear it, even though his chest was so close to her and she had super hearing. They needed to find Him.

"Blossom."

She whipped her head around and saw Butch's glowing green body a ways away, crouched over something on the ground. She hurried over to him, Boomer following.

"I think this is Him's." He held up a single eyeball and she winced at the sight. It was indeed Him's, a dark yellow iris and a pupil that had been pierced by a blade, dripping with black blood. She carefully touched the ground next to Butch, testing it's stability. She found it safe and trekked forward. It only took her a few steps before she saw the trail of black liquid leading up to a scattered mess of organs, and finally the gruesome body of the monster himself. He looked just like she remembered; his abdomen ripped apart and hollowed, his face missing one eye, and a chunk of his skull broken off. The missing piece of his brain laid beside him now, as though all of his contents had been gathered into one pile. She was able to hold back the bile last time and she still did this time, but Boomer was forced to turn away and relieve himself in a corner, the sounds of him retching bouncing off the walls. Butch covered his eyes.

Blossom gently laid Brick beside Him and got on her knees. She had thought about what she could do as they had made their way here and she thought she finally had an idea.

"Could his blood contain magic?" She wondered out loud, hoping for some kind of opinion from the boys. But they were too distracted from the sight and she got no response. She reached her hand out and dipped her fingers into the dark blood, expecting it to burn her or cause some form of pain, but it did nothing. She grit her teeth as she eased closer to Him, inspecting every inch of his body. There had to be something.

"Oh my god, stop _touching him_." Butch groaned, now covering his mouth instead to hold back the puke.

She ignored him and continued to search for an answer. She felt inside Him's empty eye socket, pried open his other eye, peered inside his mouth, felt around his neck and still came up with nothing. Her shoulders sagged and she dropped her head.

"Blossom?" Butch moved towards her.

She shook her head. "I don't know what to do. I'm not a doctor, I'm not a scientist, I'm not even a leader anymore..." Her chest ached and she found herself sinking into the darkness surrounding her. There was so little time and so little for her to work with, how could fate put someone else's life in her hands? 'It always been this way.' Her mind told her. Even when her sisters' actions saved civilians lives, it was always her leadership that directed them. She had always been the one to make the decisions, find the solutions, and save the lives of her people. She had never failed. Not one person had died at her hand. Not the towns people, not her enemies, and not her sisters. There was no way she could let Brick be the first.

"Brick!" Her head snapped up as Butch hurried over to his brother's side, green eyes wide with terror. "He's not breathing!"

She knelt beside Butch and found Brick's vein, but no pulse. She tilted her head and leaned close to his mouth, but Butch was right. The only thought that came to her mind was CPR and she quickly pressed her hands to his chest and tried desperately to revive him. She had six minutes to bring him back or his brain cells would begin to die and he would be gone forever.

"Please don't let him die." The sound of Butch crying stabbed her in the chest so sharply that she became winded. Boomer covered his mouth, baby blue eyes wide and filled with tears. Both brothers were watching their leader die. Seeing the life leave her counterpart in front of her along with his two brothers sobbing in the darkness made her realize how similar the puffs and ruffs actually were. She knew exactly how they were feeling right now and she couldn't quite believe how connected she felt to them. It was almost as though her heart was breaking along with theirs. She paused. The flurry of emotions and noises caused her surroundings to transform and she was again crouching in the empty, destroyed street of Townsville as rain cascaded over her trembling body. She felt the cool water, the recent injuries, and the sticky blood on her hands. She could hear the soft trickling of rain into the crater where she knew her sisters laid, but she refused to look up. Brick was still in front of her, her hands on his chest, but his eyes were open and glaring straight at her. No words were spoken and yet her thoughts rang out, "If he dies, you can go back to your sisters." She knew that. _She wanted_ to go back. But...she just couldn't bring herself to step away and let Brick die. Not with the sobs of his brothers, not with her title as a hero, not when he had been merciful enough to let her sisters live, not when the ache in her chest ceased to stop even when she knew her loved ones were safe. Because maybe they weren't. She bit her lip and looked into her counterpart's eyes. He loved his brothers, and possibly her, even though all this time she had thought that a villain couldn't love at all. The Professor raised her with the idea that villains didn't have hearts. And how could someone who doesn't have a heart love?

"He was the only person who ever loved me." Butch murmured through his sobs.

Blossom sucked in a sharp breath as she was pulled back to reality and found Brick's eyes closed once again. She slowly retracted her hands. CPR wasn't going to work. She glanced at Butch. "Your dad never loved you?"

He glared at her through a pool of tears. "Mojo left him to die and Him was a devil, so no, my 'dad' never loved me."

She was about to offer him a sad reassurance when her eyes went wide. 'You can't love someone if you don't have a heart.' She scrambled back over to Him and felt his chest. It was still solid and would need to be cut through. She used her eye beams to split his torso in half before peeling back a layer of thick red skin and sliding her hand into his chest. Blood squirted all over, covering her arm and drenching her body. Veins, muscle, and fat slid between her fingers as she eased them deeper, carefully to make sure she didn't destroy the object she needed most. She forced her hand through the ribs and then she felt something soft. She didn't know how delicate it was so she eased her other hand into Him's chest and pried apart the contents surrounding the soft object. Her heart leapt at seeing a pink, almost fluffy, ball that resembled the fur trim on Him's dress. She gingerly slipped it out of his chest and rushed over to Brick.

"What is that!?" Boomer gagged, breaking out of his sobs. Butch was close to vomiting.

"Him's heart." She stated. Although the saying the Professor had taught her was false, seeing as Him did have a heart, it was still the only reason she thought to find the devil's core organ. She knelt beside Brick. "It would make the most sense for his heart to be the center of his powers so if I could somehow transfer this to Brick..." She frowned, feeling the delicate organ in her hands. It was almost weightless and reminded her of cotton candy. Cotton candy dissolved, could she dissolve this into Brick's body? She looked at her counterpart and saw that his skin was losing color. She had to do something. She broke off a small piece of the heart and crushed it in her palm, it felt like a thousand tiny needles piercing her hand, but when she opened her fingers a cloud of pink dust showered from her hand and over Brick. It seemed to vanish upon touching his skin. She knew that she could be doing this wrong but the time it would take for her to think of any other option would be too long for Brick to survive so she held the heart over his body, shut her eyes, and crushed it into a million minuscule pieces.

"You're going to need this, too." She turned around to find Boomer kneeling on her other side, a vial in his hand. "Chemical X." He explained and she gave him a small smile before taking it. She slipped her hand under Brick's head and tilted it forward so she could pour the liquid into his mouth. Then, she waited.

All three of them gathered over Brick's still body, the cave grew eerily quiet and a tension shifted through the air. Blossom shook her head. "He should have woken up by now, right?"

Butch shrugged and Boomer answered, "I don't know..."

She bit her cheek and leaned forward, taking Brick's face in her hand. She slowly rested her other hand over his heart. "What if he-"

She gasped as hot fingers wrapped around her hand and Brick shot up, making all three of them jump. He inhaled sharply and his red eyes flashed open, quickly glancing from side to side. He looked at his brothers, then at his surroundings, and frowned.

"Brick?" Butch murmured, inching closer. He rubbed away the tears that still lined his cheeks.

The said ruff blinked. "What?" He asked, fairly aggressively.

Blossom shifted away as both brothers leapt on top of their leader and hugged him. She even chuckled as Brick cursed and tried to flail away.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?!"

Butch embraced his brother tightly. "Man, we thought you were dead!"

"Glad you're not." Boomer grinned, arms secured around Brick

Brick allowed them to hug him for a moment before he eased them away and stared up at Blossom. His eyes were narrowed, his skin flushed red, and his breathing heavy. "What happened?"

She sat beside him. "I told you it was more than just a fever."

He shook his head. "You've got a hell of a lot of explaining to do, Red."

She gave him a small smile, resting her hand on his arm. Boomer and Butch were so giddy with excitement that they were paying the two no attention. So she leaned forward and whispered into his ear, "So do you."


	6. Chapter 6

"How is he doing?"

Blossom paused as she walked passed, "He's fine, a little agitated from the new strength, but he said he's best left alone." She glanced over her shoulder at the stairs. "I still can't get him to tell me anything."

Boomer piped in from the kitchen, "Is he acting any different?"

She shook her head. "I thought he might be a bit nicer after I saved his life and all but if anything he's gotten worse."

Butch slung his arm over the back of the couch and looked at them. "Worse?"

She nodded. "After I told him everything, he kicked me out and wouldn't talk to me for an entire day. The only reason I've spoken to him today is because he needed food but wouldn't leave his room." She crossed her arms. "I wonder if Him's powers are taking a bigger toll on him than I thought they would."

"Nah." Butch said, a smirk on his face. She raised an eyebrow at him. "He's pushing everyone away because he's embarrassed."

Blossom frowned. "What do you mean?"

He explained himself, "Brick, of the three of us, definitely has the biggest ego seeing as he's the leader and all. Since he serves as such an authoritative figure that means he has to be powerful and unwavering. But now he just almost died because he has a crush on a puff, it _really_ bruised his ego."

Boomer agreed, "The best thing to do would be to leave him alone until he gets over it."

She bit her lip, "Okay."

Boomer returned to the kitchen, making something that filled the house with the smell of bacon, and Butch clicked through channels on the TV. Blossom nervously looked around, uneasy about her current situation. Without Brick, she didn't know where to go or what to do. The thought of leaving flickered in the back of her mind but she pushed it away, knowing only bad things could result from it.

"You can sit down, Bloss."

She looked at Butch and he met her with a warm smile. She gave a half a smile back. "Thanks, but I don't think I should."

He furrowed his brows. "If this is about Brick not approving of-"

"It's not." She quickly stated, earning a confused look from the ruff. She sighed. "There's a lot on my mind right now and I haven't had a chance to just think for a while."

He chuckled. "Of course that's what you'd want to do. Brick was right."

She blinked. "Sorry?"

He released another laugh. "Brick used to tell me about how you would always try to find an ulterior motive to his every action and question everything he said, always thinking too much. It pissed him off so badly."

She cocked her head. "How come?"

He tapped his chin. "Well he told me something along the lines of, 'All I want to do is fight her but she won't fucking let me. She always has some kind of damn plan formulating behind those stupid pink eyes of hers. At least Buttercup just fights, no talk, and Bubbles is too dumb to think at all.'"

A tinge of anger stirred in her stomach at the mention of her sisters but she ignored it and instead laughed out loud. "He's the one who always taunted me. Every other word was, 'You don't know what's coming, Pinky' or 'I wouldn't be so confident if I were you.' It was always mind games with him. I knew he always had some kind of devious plan, and I was right, fortunately, because he never succeeded with any of the-" Her face fell and she snapped her mouth shut.

Butch spun around at her sudden silence and snapped his fingers. "Hey Bloss? You good?"

She turned away, hiding her pale face. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I'm just going to go read...or something."

Butch blinked as he watched her walk away, her body seeming to shake as she left.

"Girls." He muttered.

* * *

She collapsed to the ground the second she entered the library, the door sealed shut. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she tucked her face away and tried desperately to push back the thoughts poisoning her mind.

Your fault

Your fault

Your fault

She slammed her head back against the wall and grit her teeth.

'It's on you. Their misery, their near death, their loss, all on you.'

"Errr." She clutched the sides of her head, a headache brewing.

What kind of sister...

Nails clawed across her skin, scraping away the disease manifesting her brain.

...puts her ego over her siblings' lives.

Words whispered against her ear, hushed and horrifyingly real. She tossed her head to the side but couldn't escape the voices. Accusations. Facts. Quotes. Threats. They echoed throughout the room and shook her body to the core. She trembled, every limb sagging with defeat. Brick was right, she was guilty. She knew that, it was so clear, and yet she still treated him as the villain. Was that why she had saved him? Was that why she continued to stay with him? Now that she knew of his feelings?

Maybe...or maybe you're both at fault and you share a bond through your delinquencies.

She stared at the wooden floorboards beneath her feet, bleak and dull, just as she feared her new life would be. But it suddenly dawned on her that her life with the ruffs wasn't as empty as she had predicted. She had been met with many new revelations and now that she was allowed to wander the house, she couldn't say that there was ever a boring moment. Quite frankly, fighting crime in a set routine everyday for the rest of her life sounded very bland compared to her life with the ruffs. Her new life was in no way better, or great, but it was something that she could adjust to.

So you get to live a comfortable life whilst your sisters continue to suffer?

She closed her eyes, shaking away the thoughts. Yes, she had been in the wrong. Yes, she had made mistakes, as did her counterpart, as did the ruffs, and so did her sisters. They had been the ones to directly disobey her orders and land themselves in a fight that they could not win. She didn't blame them for their fate but they weren't innocent either, she had to believe that, she had to let the guilt go or else she would never be able to move on with her life. Maybe she didn't deserve a decent life but what is the point of living a life that you don't believe in? What is the point in living in guilt and misery? Why waste something so beautiful and rare? Her father did not go through the burden of creating and raising her only for her to give up on life. It was like food, others in the world were starving so how could she waste the bit that she was privileged enough to get? A sigh escaped her lips and her body went still at her command, relaxed. She tilted her head back and focused on only the sounds and smells around her, remembering the technique that Bubbles had taught her. The warm, spiced scent of cypress slipped through her nose, mixing with the smells of must and the fresh air that blew in from the opened window. She inhaled deeply. Pages of books shuttered in the faint breeze. The wooden structure of the room creaked and groaned lightly and the birds outside sang in their high pitched voices.

She was so intrigued by the songs from outside that she didn't even hear the footsteps or sense his entrance, until her eyes opened and she was staring straight into the crimson glare of her counterpart. So much for leaving him alone. He blinked at her and she held his gaze, neither of them moved. She noticed a new smell that smothered the others, one of cologne and firewood. She let her eyes travel down as she spotted his lack of a shirt. Just as she suspected, his torso was perfectly sculpted, so gorgeously so that any other girl would be drooling. However, she simply returned her gaze to his and gave him a small smile.

"How are you feeling?" She asked gently. His red eyes were glued on her and he took a moment to respond. He walked over and slid down the length of the wall, resting beside her, close enough for their legs to touch.

"Tired, still, but also like I need to get something off my chest before it suffocates me." He turned his head to her. "I owe you an apology."

Her eyes went wide. An apology...from a ruff. That was something she had never expected to hear. Although lately many things were coming as a surprise to her.

He looked down at his hands as he casually folded them together. Many emotions flashed across his face, his features twisting and straining with thought. Finally, after a long, drawn out silence, he sighed. "You saved my life. Without you I would be laying in a hole underground right now turning into a rotted corpse. I don't know why you did it. I've been trying to figure it out for days but for someone as selfish and cold as myself, I can't comprehend that sort of thing. Not that I really need to know your motives...but it's still bewildering because here I am, dragging you through hell and back, tormenting you and playing with your emotions like this is all a sick game, and then, instead of letting me die, you do everything you can to save me. I don't know that I'll ever understand you, but for what it's worth...thank you." He looked at her, the corner of his lips lifting into a small smile. Then his face grew serious again as he continued. "I am sorry, truly. But I doubt that can fix much, a measly apology versus my attempt at killing your sisters, forcing you to live with me, and making every second of every day miserable for you. Which still bugs me. My god, Blossom." He stared at her then, his expression one of disbelief and insanity. "If I had died, you could have returned to your sisters and never had to worry about them dying ever again."

She frowned, taking in everything he had said to her. His apology was as heartfelt as he could make it and that touched her. But the fact that he was mind blown that she had saved him made her heart ache. "Brick, that's what I was created to do." She began, resting her hand on his. "My sole purpose is to protect the people of this world and to secure peace. You may be my enemy and a threat to my siblings but it's simply impossible for me to watch a person die before my eyes without lifting a finger. I _have_ to help people. Otherwise my life is meaningless." She glanced at the open window, watching the curtains ripple in the breeze. "You and your brothers have the privilege of freedom, you're free to make whatever choices you want. You can protect or you can attack. You can roam about the world without a single care. But me?" She turned to him. "I'm the commander of the only heroes left in this world. If we fail, everyone is sentenced to a life of destruction and death. I might not be able to be the globally loved hero I used to be anymore, but that doesn't mean I can't help those around me. When I get the chance, I won't let it go. I might want you dead, but not at my hands." She retracted her arm and sighed. "And maybe I've grown used to you."

Brick smiled then, a real, true smile that didn't just pull at one corner or disappear instantly. It was a contagious smile. His red eyes twinkled and he took her hand back in his. "If I'm being honest, I no longer hate your company either."

They both laughed out loud happily, and for the first time ever; the red leaders got along.


	7. Chapter 7

"You're joking..." Boomer scoffed as Blossom entered the kitchen, greeted by the delicious smell of sizzling bacon. "He's _still_ sleeping?"

She nodded as she took a seat at the counter. "And I wouldn't be surprised if he slept for another two hours."

"Typical!" Butch called from the living room, which was pretty much his second bedroom.

"What could've possibly tired him out that much?" Boomer muttered before turning to the stove. Blossom smiled to herself, thinking of her and Brick's conversation the day before. He was so relaxed and happy, the unusual feelings were probably draining for him. She almost giggled out loud picturing his glittering red eyes, alight with curiosity as she had told him stories from her childhood. Sure, they spent most of the day discussing her life rather than his, which she was most intrigued about, but it was still progress. They were learning about each other and hopefully that would help their relationship be more comfortable and empathetic. She was going to have to live with him for the rest of her life after all, she would prefer to live it with a happy Brick over an angry one.

"How do you like your eggs?" Boomer asked her.

"Scrambled is fine." She tilted her head to get a better view of what Boomer was doing at the stove.

"Don't worry I'm not going to poison you." He glanced over his shoulder to give her a smile but his voice was serious.

"Sorry..." She apologized quietly, sitting back in her chair.

He paused and turned off the stove. He walked over to the counter. "I was wrong about you." He spoke, not looking her in the eye. "I thought when you came here that you were going to plan something and get us all killed. I didn't like the idea of living with a puff because I was dumb enough to believe that since you guys are good and we're evil that that means we can't get along. I guess it took you saving Brick for me to realize that you aren't so bad."

She frowned. "You guys really were raised to see the bad in everything..."

Boomer shrugged sadly. "Mojo made us to destroy you. Him resurrected us to take over the world. You puffs hated us just like we hated you and held us up to our villain status. The world hates us and sees us as childish, destructive assholes. So how could we find any good anywhere and how could we change who we were created to be?"

She shook her head. "You were right to believe that good and evil can't get along. But you guys aren't evil." Boomer stared at her in disbelief. She smiled. "You aren't the only one who sees the bad in everything. My sisters and I are heroes, our duty lies in stopping villains, so naturally we're cautious of everyone and try to find evil. But over the past years I've learned that looking for the good is much more efficient. Criminals stand out, I don't need to search for them. But in this day and age, good people are lacking and finding them is more difficult than finding villains." She nodded at him. "By focusing on the positive, I found the good in three people who I once saw as villains."

The blue ruff blinked, "Who?"

She held back a snicker and instead smiled at him. "You."

He furrowed his brows. "But how can you see us as good?"

"Because I've gotten to know you." She stated simply.

"What about how we destroyed that city and those museums?" He asked

"My sisters and I destroyed Townsville when we were first created." She said. "We've destroyed plenty of other things. Whether it be intentional or an accident."

"But we've stolen stuff."

She smirked. "So have I."

"We've hurt people."

"My sisters and I hurt criminals every day."

"I tried to kill you."

She shrugged. "You thought I was trying to kill you."

"We almost killed your sisters."

"You also saved them." She stated.

He blinked, mouth hanging open in awe. "But-"

"Boomer, we all make mistakes. It's whether we try to redeem ourselves or not that defines whether we're good or bad. _Everyone_ deserves a second chance." She glanced at Butch who was intently focused on his video games. "You and your brother were just following orders."

"What about Brick?" He asked.

She sighed sadly. "That's a difficult one."

"Why?"

"Because although he was created to cause destruction just like you and Butch, he was forced to be the leader of you guys and was therefore more strictly held to the status of a villain. Just like Butch said, he has a big ego and he can't show any weakness."

Boomer frowned. "So you're saying he's bad but me and Butch aren't?"

She shook her head. "No, what I'm saying is that Brick has been pushed harder to remain evil and destroy me. Yet at the same time he killed Him and was no longer in contact with Mojo, so he was finally on his own and could decide what he wanted to do, who he wanted to be. And yet he still decided to attempt to kill my sisters and take me. I'm not saying he's bad, but his progress has been slower, because it's harder for him."

"But now you're helping him." Boomer stated. "And ever since that night you guys went out on a date or whatever it is you did..." He tapped his chin. "Oh right, the night Brick killed Him. Well ever since then he hasn't had me or Butch do anything. None of us have stolen or caused destruction or hurt anyone."

It was her turn to be surprised. She blinked. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah and when you first got here, Brick gave us orders to never let you leave and to kill anyone who came near the mansion, especially if they were your sisters."

Her breath caught in her throat.

"But he hasn't said anything about that since Him died. It's like you opened his eyes or something that night." He snapped his fingers. "That's it! That's when he fell in love with you!"

She chuckled. "Boomer, Brick's not _in love_ with me. Mojo just said that he's falling in love, which means catching feelings. He doesn't actually love me."

"Not yet." He murmured.

She shook her head. "Let's hope not ever."

He frowned and looked straight at her, placing his hands on the counter and sighing. "You're good for him, you know that? You're the best influence he's ever had and ever will have. He's never changed this much in such a short amount of time. He's never come this close to being a good person. With you around, he has the potential to abandon evil forever. We all do. You're helping us all. You may still see him as your enemy but he has feelings for you and I can tell you as his brother that those feelings are more than a childish crush. You saved his life when you didn't have to. Regardless of your motives, you care about him and that's partly why you helped, you can't deny that."

She bit her lip at his words.

"You guys are so alike and know each other like the back of your hands. You're good for each other, you bring out the best in one another. So why are you denying him?" Boomer questioned.

"I'd like to know the answer to that, too."

Both teens jumped and Blossom spun around. Brick was standing in the kitchen, seemingly amused by the exchange.

"Brick?" Blossom's face went red but Boomer only smirked. The red ruff went to stand beside Blossom and rest an arm on the back of her chair. He leaned closer to her.

"Blossom." He greeted her and glanced at his brother. "So you guys are getting along now?"

Boomer shrugged. "For the most part." And he returned to his cooking.

Blossom hid her face in her hands, hot with embarrassment. Brick gently pulled her hands away from her face and lifted her chin. He raised an eyebrow at her flushed cheeks. "Are you having another allergic reaction?"

She turned even more red and tried to swat him away but he captured her wrists and gave her a look so intimate that she slightly shivered. Fortunately, Boomer was paying no attention to them.

"I haven't eaten yet." She huffed once he released her.

"No? Well I'm starving." He took a seat and continued to watch her, even as he spoke to Boomer. "What're you making?"

"Eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns..." He turned to Blossom. "Are you allergic to any of those?"

"Eh, she probably needs you to tell her what's in them." Brick responded.

The pink puff glared. "I know what's in bacon."

"What about hash browns?" Her counterpart questioned.

"There's potatoes in that." Boomer informed her.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm aware, thank you. And no, I'm not allergic to anything besides seafood."

Boomer casually continued to cook, chuckling to himself, which only further irritated Blossom.

"After breakfast I have something to talk to you about." Brick muttered to his counterpart. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, curious of what they could possibly have to talk about, but even more curious of why he couldn't tell her right now. But she shrugged it off for the time being and chose to enjoy a nice breakfast with her new roommates.

* * *

The sky was a pale blue with mixtures of pink and orange left behind by the rising sun. The air was fresh, filled with scents of pine trees and grass, flowers and dirt. Sweet songs trickled through the woods, sang by birds who fluttered from tree to tree. Below them, rodents scurried over the ground. Everything was at peace. Everything except for a particular red eyed boy. Blossom tilted her head to the side to survey Brick, his handsome features turned away from her and facing the woods. She followed his gaze and saw what he was so interested in. There was a tree that she hadn't noticed until now, planted in the center of the yard, and it had sprouted thousands of delicate pink flowers that would soon grow into apples. She strode over to it, admiring the beautiful flowers. Each petal was a soft amaranth hue, the inner corolla flecked with white. The blossoms had just recently sprouted, or else they would be all white. She frowned. Wouldn't she have noticed a tree such as this before?

"Do you like it?"

She jumped slightly and turned to Brick. He gazed down at her with soft red eyes.

"I saw it while I was out one day."

She blinked. "Out? When did you leave the house?"

He chuckled. "You don't got a radar on me, pinky." He pushed a strand of hair away from her face and let his fingers linger on her jaw, only pulling away to reach towards the tree. She watched as he gingerly plucked off one of the flowers and slipped it behind her ear. The intimate gesture made her cheeks flush. "I decided to replant it here because...well," His eyes swept over her own. "Because even when you're gone, I want to have something to remind me of you."

She opened her mouth but no words came out, instead she was taken by surprise as Brick clutched her hand in his own and brought it to his lips. A light shiver rippled through her spine. His skin was hot against her own.

"I think what's become clear over the past few weeks is that I'm not a great guy." He kept hold of her hand. "But I am trying and the only way for me to get better is if you help me. Hell, look at how much you've done for me already. I know it's crazy of me to ask for more yet I just can't find the will to let you go...not now." He shook his head. "Maybe not ever."

She winced, her stomach sinking. But she had already come to terms with staying with Brick forever. Her expectations were all that held back the hope that threatened to burst from her heart. She wanted to hope for the impossible, to be released and free to return to her sisters. But she wasn't an idiot. Her emotions could not outweigh her logic. She knew from the beginning that this was how it would be. And she sealed the deal by saving his life.

He bit the inside of his cheek and she could tell that he was nervous. "But that doesn't mean you have to be trapped here."

She frowned. "Brick?"

His hand was becoming clammy. She put her other hand to his forehead but he wasn't heating up. He laughed at her concern. "It's okay, pinky, I'm not dying." His eyes twinkled and her heart fluttered at his next words. "You're the first person besides my brothers to ever care about me though...and maybe that's why I love you."

"L-love?" She stuttered out. Her face was the color of his hat and she tried to cover it with her hand. Had she heard him right? No, no she couldn't have. He wasn't in love, he was a ruff, he-he couldn't. Her heart was pounding, beating against her chest in arrhythmic pulses. She didn't know what to think. What to say. Mojo had said that he was _falling_ in love, this couldn't be. Her chest ached but she couldn't decipher whether it was a good pain or a bad pain. All she knew was that something was amiss. Something about Brick...wasn't right.

"Bloss-" He reached for her but she stepped back, eyes wide with fear.

"Brick, no." His eyes flashed with hurt and her chest ached even worse, this time, however, it was not a good pain. 'Oh god.' She covered her mouth.

"Okay." He held his hands up in a form of surrender, assuring her that he wouldn't touch her. "Okay. I don't want you to be afraid." He waited for her to relax.

She tried to regain her composure, reminding herself that it was just Brick, it would be okay. At least let him explain. So she gave him a nod and he continued.

"I just wanted to tell you that I've made up my mind." She met his eyes, holding her breath at his serious expression. "I'm not holding you hostage anymore, you can see your sisters."


	8. Chapter 8

The house was the same as when she'd left it. The lawn was cut, the bushes neatly trimmed, the exterior of the house spotless, and the Professor's car still sat in the driveway, untouched. She drew in a sharp breath and slowly made her way up the walkway. Her pink eyes swept over everything, looking for any sign of danger or concern. She found nothing by the time she was planted in front of the door. She raised her fist up, arm trembling, but couldn't bring herself to knock. There were so many emotions overwhelming her mind, thoughts of what could have happened to her sisters. Had they really survived? Did Brick keep his word? Were they different? Had they moved? She bit her lip, stiff as a board. Maybe they were sleeping...should she wake them? What if they hated her for what she did? She shook her head, disgusted with herself. This was her sisters she was talking about, they could never hate her, no matter what she did, because they were family. They had promised each other to always love one another, regardless of the situation. So with a shaky sigh, she lightly knocked her knuckles against the wooden door.

She waited.

And waited.

But nothing happened. No one answered. Her stomach began to sink with dread. She clenched and unclenched her fists and stole a glance over her shoulder. Brick was perched against the side of someone's house on the other side of the street, hidden from her sisters' line of sight. He tipped his head forward in a slight nod. Blossom put her hand on the doorknob and it felt like she had to use all of her strength to push the door open. Her breath caught in her throat at what she saw. The house may have been untouched on the outside, but inside it was a disaster. The couch was split in half, stuffing littering the floor. Glass and other broken objects stuck out of the carpet. Splatters of food and paint and whatever else stained the walls. The TV was smashed. The table crushed. And that was only the living room.

She floated over the mess and peered into the kitchen, surprised to find things perfectly in order, but even more surprised to see the table set up with still steaming eggs, toast, and glasses of orange juice. One bite had been taken out of the toast but the rest had been left alone. She blinked and cautiously walked out of the kitchen and upstairs.

"Bubbles?" She crept into her sister's bedroom. Nothing. "Buttercup?" Nothing. She begged herself to stay calm and slipped into her own room. A few of her drawers were open and one of her favorite shirts was lying on the bed. She went over to her dresser and felt her eyes tear up. A picture of her and her sisters, which hadn't been there before, now sat on the dresser. Pink and red roses rested beside it. She dropped to her knees and took the frame into her hands. A huge smile was strung across all three of their faces, arms wrapped around each other. The Professor had taken it when they were nearly ten. She remembered it because it was when Buttercup had discovered her special power, which was quite similar to Boomer's; lightning. It had felt like the first time in a long time that they had all truly connected as one again, no differences or weaknesses dividing them. She smiled and set the picture back on her dresser, only then noticing the slip of paper laying beside the flowers. She frowned at the computer-like writing and then her heart leapt to her throat. "NO!"

She rushed out to Brick as quickly as she could, letter in hand, and began rambling on the second she was in front of him. She was in full blown panic mode and Brick's eyes went wide at seeing her in such disarray. He put his hand on her shoulder and urged her to calm down so that he could understand. She spoke more quietly but couldn't stop herself from slurring her words together. She attempted to take off into the sky but Brick pulled her back.

"Blossom, what are you saying?" He questioned calmly.

She glared and shoved the letter into his chest, incredibly frustrated. He looked down at it and was shocked by what it said.

Dear Blossom,

I knew you would find a way to save him, seeing as how smart and strategic the powerpuff leader always is. And I also knew that he would only fall deeper in love with you when he found out that you saved his life. I knew it would lead to him letting you return home. Too bad you don't have anyone to return home to. You may be wondering where your sisters are. Well, I decided to try out my new invention: Antidote X induced gamma ray gun. Enough power to wipe away their powers permanently, making them weak enough to kill. But do not worry, I only dosed them with regular Antidote X for now. They're safely tucked away in my lab. Without you, however, they have no way out. Oh, you might be wondering...why did I take your sisters? Because they're your only weakness and I want you gone. The minute you picked up this note a timer was set off for 1 hour. In that time you will come to my lab, ALONE, and do whatever I say in order to save your sisters. Fail to meet my requests in the time limit and the ray gun will be fired. Your sisters will die. So what will it be Blossom?

Mojo Jojo

"Now do you understand?"

Brick looked up at Blossom as she impatiently hovered over him.

"I have to go, Brick, NOW." She tried to take off but a hand caught her wrist again and yanked her down. Brick's cold eyes glared into her own.

"Do you know why he wants you?" He questioned. She paused and he released her hand, waiting for an answer that never came. He continued. "Because he knows that you're changing me and he thinks that the only way to keep us evil, to take over the world, is to get rid of you." He held the letter up. "He's going to kill you."

She pushed the paper away and glared back at him. "He's going to kill my sisters. I've already risked enough to save them once, I'm not letting that go to waste now. I won't let them die."

"I know. I'm not saying-"

"Brick I'm running out of time!" She suddenly shouted, face growing red. "I only came to you so that you would at least know what happened to me, but I have to go now." He again pulled her down and she tried to calm herself, speaking lightly to him. "I understand that you're concerned about me but these are my sisters we're talking about. If Mojo wants to kill me, then he can go ahead and kill me. As long as it ensures my sisters' safety."

He shook his head. "I won't let you die."

She clenched her fists. "This isn't your decision."

"We can find another way, I can help you-"

"No." She growled. "You can't. Mojo said that if I fail to meet his requests then he'll kill them. I'm not putting their lives at risk again."

"Blossom," He begged. "Please. He won't know that I'm there. You can distract him while I-"

She shook her head. "No. We're not doing this. I have to save my sisters." He refused to release her and she glared at him. "Brick, why do you care so much? This is wrong, something about how you're acting is wrong." She sighed and put her hand up to silence him. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. I have to go."

He called out to her, to try to change her mind, but it was too late, she was already gone, her pink streak fading in the direction of Mojo's volcano.

* * *

Her heart ached as she flew, her eyes focused on Mojo's lair but her mind only able to think of Brick. Of course she wanted to save her sisters. She would save them. But in doing so she would be leaving them and Brick. Yeah, he was supposed to be her enemy but the desperation in his voice...the sadness in his eyes...the words he had spoken to her just a few hours ago.

'Boomer was right.' She realized. Brick wasn't just crushing on her, he actually loved her. At first, him saying the words didn't solidify the truth, but the emotions he had previously revealed did. What was she doing to him? Was it true, could she really be turning him good? 'It doesn't matter. You did what you could for him, now it's time to save your family. They come first.' But if that was true, then why the hell did it hurt her so much to leave him behind?

Her thoughts were quickly shaken away as Mojo's volcano came into view. Her eyes narrowed and she picked up the pace, landing swiftly on the rooftop of the dome. She had two options. 1. Burst in and try to take Mojo by surprise but ultimately surrendering if she had to. Or 2. Go in quietly and do as the the monkey said, securing her sisters' safety. She had never been one to be reckless but she also hated surrendering her pride...but she had already put her pride over her sisters' once before, she wouldn't do it again.

With her head bowed and her arms slack at her sides, she flew to the open door and entered. Why risk lives when she didn't have to? This was the best way. This was how she would redeem herself.

The door clanked shut behind her and the only sound that could be heard was the tap of her shoes on the steel floor, the floor that her and her sisters had made as children. Back when things were simple. She looked around and searched for the short chimp, not surprised that he was hiding, he always was a coward. Her gaze flashed upwards towards a green blur and just as she caught sight of him, his voice rang through a microphone.

"Welcome, Blossom. Glad you could make it." A sly smirk curled his thin lips and she saw the malicious twinkle in his eye that all villains eventually adapted, after so many years of failure, when the insanity finally won over.

She clenched her fists and shot daggers at her childhood nemesis. "No games, Mojo. Where are they?"

He tapped his chin and glanced around. Then he looked over at a clock on the wall. "Hm, are you in a hurry, Blossom?"

Never in her life had she so badly wanted to punch a hole through someone's head as she did right now. She grit her teeth as she spat out his name, "Mojo, where are they."

He locked eyes with her, giving her a terrifyingly disturbing smile, before smashing his fist down onto a large button. The floor shook from the action and she hovered in the air, watching as the ground opened and a prison made of electricity lifted up, holding her sisters inside it. She gasped at the sight of them. Their eyes were closed, rimmed in dark circles, sunken in with clear exhaustion. Their bodies were tossed carelessly together on the floor, limp, just like the last time she had seen them. But it wasn't how bad they looked that made her gasp...it was how good they looked. They were alive, breathing. No scars, no wounds. Sure, they were seemingly sleep deprived and most likely exhausted from depression, but their injuries were gone, just like Brick promised.

"So, Blossom." Mojo spoke, still standing in a little room high up and away from her, protected by a wall of some sort of glass. "Have you made up your mind?"

She scoffed at that, unable to hold it back. "You really have to ask me that? I thought you were my arch nemesis. Aren't enemies supposed to know things about each other?"

Mojo ignored her words. "I'll take that as a yes. Well then, I suppose I should at least explain how this is going to work."

He began rambling on and, without knowing it, Blossom held her breath. She knew what Mojo was going to say. She knew what was coming. But it wasn't an easy thing to prepare for.

"-And then when they wake up they won't remember the last 24 hours." She winced. He was going to erase their memories which meant that they would never see her, they would never get to know that she hadn't died that day, that she was standing 10 feet away from them right now. But it wouldn't matter anyways because in a few minutes she'd be dead for real. She shook her head, trying to follow his words. "So they'll be brought back to the safety of their home, never to be heroes again without their lovely leader. Leaving an opening for my sons and I to bring the world to it's knees and I shall be the ruler of the world."

She blinked. "Wait...what's going to happen to me?"

His eyes glittered with malice. "You're going to be the first test subject of my new ray gun."


	9. Chapter 9

She hadn't struggled, but she also hadn't gone silently, muttering a string of curses at him as he strapped her onto a table where she came face to face with his new machinery. It looked like an enlarged super soaker but it's 'water' compartment was filled with a clear liquid that she knew was antidote X. A loud humming vibrated through her ears and spirals of electricity began to tangle themselves around the ray gun. Her heart began to beat rapidly.

"Now then..." Mojo stood a decent distance away from her, a control pad in his hand. He began clicking buttons and the machine above her righted itself so that it was aimed at her. She sucked in a breath. "I don't believe this should hurt...much...but regardless it won't cause too much damage to anything besides your brain." He pressed another button and the humming grew louder. "Your sisters have already been injected with the serum so they won't remember anything. After I'm finished with you, they will be returned to their house."

She lifted her head up to attempt to look at him. "Give me your word."

He raised an eyebrow. "As if it matters now. What would you do if I told you I had killed them? You don't have any powers right now, you're trapped. Out of options, Blossom."

She pulled at the restraints but he was right. Right after she had agreed to his terms, he had dosed her with antidote X. She knew she should have listened to Brick and at least tried to think of another approach because now her sisters could still die and then all of them would be dead, Mojo would rule the world. She slammed her head back against the metal table. There were other obstacles though. Listening to Brick could have used up her time. What if she hadn't gotten to her sisters before the timer went off? She needed to accept the fact that she was screwed. She had been screwed the minute she let her ego surmount her sisters.

Mojo continued to speak to her but she blocked him out. She wanted her last thought to be of her sisters but one person invaded her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. But the figure wouldn't go away, the voice wouldn't stop whispering into her ear.

"I love you...I won't let you die...let me help you..._please_."

Why was she suddenly so stuck on him? So obsessed with him? Hadn't she been the one to reject him hours ago? 'Maybe you're in denial, it's something you're good at.' She nearly scoffed at her own thoughts. Yes, she was good at being in denial because she was so stubborn, but was this really denial? Or was she just worried about what would happen to her counterpart after she died? It had to be the latter. There was no way that she had mutual feelings for Brick.

The straps securing her down began to tighten and constrict her movements so that she could only take shallow breaths. Her back was pressed firmly against the table and the circulation in her legs was cut off. She desperately tried to take deep breaths, willing herself to calm down, but the straps were too tight.

"Don't worry, it'll be over soon." Mojo spoke to her cheerfully, incredibly amused with her current position.

She stared up at the machine and tried to figure out how it worked. Gamma rays in low levels such as the ones produced from the sun that enter Earth's atmosphere can't harm a human unless there is too much exposure and even then death is not immediate. So that would mean that Mojo would need a much higher level of gamma rays to kill her...but such a high level of radiation would cause an explosion, so why was he standing in the same room as her still? She frowned and inspected the electricity that was wrapped around the machine. Could there be a fusion reactor attached? She couldn't imagine how else he could produce the gamma rays. Fission wouldn't make sense because it wouldn't produce as much energy. But then where was the electricity coming from?

"You've lost your intellect." She blinked at the chimp who now stood over her.

"What do you mean?" She questioned, her voice strained.

He tapped the machine. "Let me ask you a question; what do you think this is?"

"An antidote X induced gamma ray gun." She answered blatantly.

He rolled his eyes. "Did you really think I could produce my own gamma rays and mix them with antidote X, put them into a gun and kill you? The minimum damage that would cause would be the obliteration of Townsville." He shook his head in disappointment. "Although I'm sure I could have found other ways to kill you...theres still a better option."

She glared at him. "I'm not a rocket scientist you-" Her face fell. "Wait, what?"

He sighed at her ignorance. "I'll put it in simpleton words; I'm not going to kill you." At her look of bewilderment, he continued. "Why would I waste you? With the Powerpuff leader and my sons at my side Mojo will be unstoppable, because not only will your sisters not have their leader but they won't be willing to go against you either. Brilliant? I think so. But of course, I, Mojo Jojo, am always brilliant."

It took her a moment to process his words and then she only stared up at him, speechless.

"And if you're wondering how I'll make you attack civilians, or how I'll stop you from attacking me then here it is; this machine-" He put his hand on it, but was not shocked because of his electricity resistant gloves. "Is actually filled with midazolam, the same substance that I gave your sisters. It's a sedative that relaxes patients before medical procedures...but also is known to erase memories both short-term and long-term, depending on the dosage. I've tried it on my sons before so I know that it works." He paused to allow her to process what he'd said so far. Once the confusion on her face had seemed to disperse, he continued. "The electricity will shock you awake and speed up the spread of the sedative through your bloodstream. It will also ensure that you don't die from the extremely large dosage. Because even for a super being, this drug can be deadly as it messes with the brain and the composition of your brain is the same as a human's."

She gaped at him. "You're going to erase my memory?"

He nodded. "Then I, Mojo Jojo, will teach you all the things I know and turn you into a villain more malicious than Him. That way you'll fight along Mojo's side forever and not care about your old hero ways."

"But-" She wanted to argue. She wanted to escape. She didn't want to lose her memory and help him destroy the world, she'd rather be dead. Why couldn't he just make it simple and kill her? Why did things always have to go so wrong?

"No one will be fighting along your side, Mojo."

Mojo's head snapped up to look at the intruder but Blossom was so tightly strapped down that she could no longer move her head, instead she let out a groan of discomfort.

"I said you had to follow my rules. I clearly stated that you were to come _alone_." Mojo spoke to her through clenched teeth.

She opened her mouth to respond but the stranger beat her to it. "She didn't break any. I came on my own terms."

It irked her that she couldn't figure out who the person was based on their voice because of how loud the humming machine was above her head, but they sounded like they were on her side, which gave her hope.

"On your own terms? Don't tell me you're here to help her." Mojo scoffed.

She could hear faint footsteps. "What? Did you think I would just let you take away her memory and make her into your minion? What was your plan again...to take over the world with us all at your side?" He laughed out loud. "Listen, pops, my brothers and I don't belong to you. We're not 'on your side'. There is no way in hell we would ever join you to take down the puffs and rule the world because the puffs are our business, not yours. No one messes with them but us. And quite frankly, we're not interested in world domination. Hell, we don't even care for causing crime nowadays. Because we don't want to turn into scumbags like you."

Pops? Brothers?

"Brick." She murmured.

"Why? What about this girl is so special to you? How is it that someone so insignificant such as her can influence you so much as to change your motives, your life's goals, entirely? Explain that to me, Brick." Mojo leered as he walked away from the table.

Blossom closed her eyes and focused on their words.

"Insignificant?" Brick spat. "You're calling a world-renowned super hero insignificant? She is the definition of special, everything about her is different from all others. She's intelligent, clever, caring, beautiful, loyal, honest, and so many other things. No one can match her perfection. And she's my counterpart. She is the only person in this world who understands me. We were created for each other after all, weren't we? _Dad._"

Her face grew hot.

"No. You were created to _destroy_ each other." The monkey retorted.

"Yes, you created us in order to destroy them. Meaning you made us for them. But maybe the creator isn't always the master. Who says you get to choose our fate? Or how we live our lives? Because you don't. Why would I choose to be enemies with the only person in the world who gets me? She and I, we share similar difficulties and can understand each other's thoughts and feelings. We can _communicate_. That's something I've never experienced before. Sure, people obey my orders but they never really _listen_. She does."

Her stomach flipped.

"And another thing," Brick hissed. "I destroyed her town, I tried to kill her, I nearly killed her sisters, I tortured and tormented her, I'm supposed to be her mortal enemy and her childhood nemesis is my father, and yet somehow, in some impossible way, she was able to find it in herself to save my damn life. Her freedom would've been granted had I died and yet she saved me. That's when I realized how heartless, selfish, and despicable I've been all these years. And I didn't want to be hated anymore, especially not by her. Because when she saved me that day, I fell in love. I fell in love with my supposed enemy because she was selfless enough to actually care about my life and save me not only from dying, but from falling into an endless pit. Had she of not taught me what good can do in this world, I might be on your side right now Mojo. But that's not how things played out and I will never associate myself with you in any form other than my enemy because anyone who hurts her _is my enemy_." His voice went dark. "Now listen, and listen fucking good, because I'm only going to say this once. Back the fuck away from her, turn off the machine, and get the hell out."

"Fine." Mojo spat. "Have it your way, boy."

There was the sound of Mojo's quick footsteps, the click of a button, and then the machine began to shake. She stared up at it in horror as the electricity gathered towards the tip and the liquid in the capsule began to empty.

She pulled at her restraints, disregarding the fact that she was trapped, panic taking over her thoughts. She needed to escape _now_ or all of her memories, her entire life, would vanish.

"What are you-!" There was a loud _thwack_ and something fell to the metal floor. Her breathing became erratic and she squirmed frantically, desperate to remove the restraints.

"Brick!" She called for him, not knowing where he was. Not knowing where Mojo was. Her chest vibrated with the pounding of her heart. Terror grasped onto her and she began to scream. "BRICK HELP!"

The fear was overwhelming her and just when she was about to lose it, a hand fell onto her arm and she looked up into a pair of red eyes. Relief flooded over her as he burned off the straps and released her from the prison. She pushed herself off the table and into his arms, letting a few tears spill down her cheeks.

"It's okay." He whispered, his gentle hands caressing her back as she cried. "Your sisters are safe at home. Mojo is unconscious."

"No..." She mumbled into his chest. "That's not why I'm crying."

She carefully eased herself away from him. "What is it then?" He questioned.

She used her shirt to dry her eyes before looking at him. "I need to apologize for how I acted and for not listening to you. I'm sorry for ever doubting or denying you. I shouldn't have pushed you away, it's just that I...well...I don't know how I feel yet." He furrowed his brows, but nodded as though he understood. She hugged him again and as their bodies were embraced she glanced over at the limp chimp lying on the ground, a small smear of blood staining his forehead. But he was breathing and didn't look pained. She tilted her head. "You...let him live."

Brick frowned. "You're surprised? I thought you said I was improving."

She looked him in the eye. "You _are_ improving and I'm not surprised, I'm glad." She took his hand in hers and smiled. He smiled back. "And thank you for saving me." Then she leaned up and placed a light kiss against his cheek.

His smile stretched and he intertwined their fingers. "Come on, let's get your sisters home and leave this hell hole."

She let him pull her along but didn't overlook the light blush that painted his cheeks.

* * *

Blossom had decided that it would be best for her to wait a little while longer to see her sisters. She didn't want to frighten them after their sudden blurred memory. She also wanted to have some sort of plan going into it, in order to make sure she knew what she would say to her sisters so that they would understand her disappearance and fake death. Of course, Brick was the one who suggested that. She also needed some time to sort things out with her counterpart, an issue that needed immediate attention, more so than the reunion with her sisters. She couldn't possibly reunite with her family while her emotions were so distraught.

Ever since he proposed his love to her underneath the apple tree he had planted, she couldn't get rid of the gut wrenching ache of guilt in her stomach. She kept chastising herself for being so selfish and cold. He was a man of pride, a guy who kept to himself, a ruff who dismissed lovey dovey emotions and yet he had revealed so much to her in the past few days. They had shared deep, heartfelt conversations and passionate moments that she knew must be difficult for him to partake in without feeling uncomfortable. So why had she rejected him? And why in such a rude manner? She hated to think of how hurt he must of been and how badly his ego must be bruised, his dignity squashed. For all she knew, her rejection could've sealed the deal for any chance of an open Brick. Now he would seclude himself from the world again and refuse to show emotions. She couldn't believe how stupid she'd been.

Yet she still was unsure of how she felt towards him. When they'd first met, she'd been curious about the new super being that matched her in every way and could challenge her authority. But then, as she got to know him and his immature, reckless ways, she began to be disgusted by him. Then they entered high school and the boys disappeared for a while, rumored to have been 'training' with Him. When they returned, they were bloodthirsty and absolutely despicable. It was no longer just battles with a few scrapes and bruises, it became full blown war between the two trios. They didn't always fight their counterparts, a technique that Blossom attempted in order to defeat the ruffs. But every time they were equally matched. Frustration set in and Blossom grew irritable of Brick's snide remarks during battle. He would tease her by saying he was smarter, stronger, faster, and most annoying of all; that he was the better leader. That was the time when her ego got the best of her and she thought only of one upping him in everything, never letting him get to her head, always 3 steps ahead, constantly outsmarting him...but unfortunately in the end it was Brick who outsmarted her. Her feelings towards him went from curiosity, to disgust, to irritation, to hate, to absolute despise. After she'd started living with him as a slave she got to know his sadistic side which only further increased her hate for him. But then, he showed weakness and emotion. She knew she had to learn to deal with living with him so she willed herself to find decent traits that he held. Then he started protecting her and showing actual care for her well being. Once she saved his life, everything changed. It wasn't long before she grew fond of his confident, protective, clever nature. She also found it adorable how he would get embarrassed whenever he discussed or showed emotions. Now she no longer held any hate for him. But she just couldn't figure out if she loved him or not. She wasn't sure that she even knew what romantic love felt like. She'd never had a boyfriend or crush before, never cared about that sort of thing. So now she was lost. And yet again she wondered if she was in denial.

The morning after her run in with Mojo, Blossom wandered into the living room and took a seat beside Butch. He was playing a game called Mafia, his character crouched behind a cement wall and shooting at an oncoming group of white men in suits with machine guns.

"What's your favorite game?" She questioned.

Butch stole a glance at her and grinned. "Morning Bloss." He turned back to his game and retained an intense glare. "Probably GTA just because there's shit like grenade launchers and helicopters and strip clubs. But this game is pretty sick too. Why do you ask?"

She shrugged and leaned back into the couch, absentmindedly brushing off wrappers that littered the cushions. "You just seem to like video games a lot. Do you do anything else? Like boxing or something?"

He chuckled. "I'm guessing that's one of Buttercup's hobbies."

Blossom blinked, nodding slowly. "Yeah...it is. How'd you-"

"We're counterparts." He stated. "Remember?"

She hummed a 'yes' in response. Maybe she was unaware of just how similar they all were to each other. And if they really were then that meant that she knew more about Butch than she thought.

"So how's it with Brick?"

Blossom let her eyes settle on the TV. "Good, I mean we're even now. I saved him, he saved me. There's no more tension." She sighed and wondered if she should speak her true thoughts to Butch. Buttercup was always the best listener, she would never snitch or judge, she would just listen and give any advice that she could. She figured Butch could be the same, so she went for it. "Honestly, I don't know how to feel."

To her surprise, Butch paused his video game and went silent, fully intent on listening. He really was like Buttercup.

She went on. "Yesterday he told me that he loves me..." She noticed that Butch was unfazed. She frowned. "You already knew, didn't you?"

He stared at her. "Bloss, Boomer and I have known even before Brick himself knew. It's pretty obvious."

She sighed. "I guess Brick and I are just really bad with emotions."

Butch chuckled lightly. "You think Buttercup and I are good with them? Not even the blues are good with emotions, they're sensitive as fuck."

She tilted her head. "Yeah, you're kinda right. But still...I don't know if I feel the same way towards him. I don't know how to tell if I do. I'm lost, Butch." She rested her head against the back of the couch. "What if I do like him? What then? We just hook up? What about my sisters? Or our past? What would the town think of their perfect puff leader dating a super villain? And I know that's not who he is anymore, but no one else knows that." She rubbed her temple, brows furrowing. "It's just so overwhelming. I'm trying to think about the future because Brick is letting me return to my sisters and he's not keeping me here forever. I have to stay for a while longer, but eventually I'll return to the world and be a hero again. I'll be all over the news, the whole world will be questioning where I went. My sisters too. There's so much to do but all I can think about is Brick. Tell me what to do."

The green ruff looked shocked by her words. "Well that's something I never thought I'd ever be asked to do; help a puff solve her love life." She gave him a small smile but he could tell it wasn't the time for jokes. He mocked her position and leaned his head against the couch. "Well I don't know you well enough to decipher between whether you're in love or not, so I can't help with that much. But the best thing to do would probably be to sleep with him and see if you feel a connection, you know?"

Her eyes went wide.

"Butch, shut the fuck up." Boomer shook his head in disgust as he appeared behind them. He looked to Blossom. "Do you want some real advice? Spend some time away from him and see how you feel. If you're sad and constantly longing for him than you're almost definitely in love. If you feel nothing or feel free and happy than you're not in love. Then once you figure it out, talk to him. You guys are both smart, you'll figure out how to handle things."

Butch rolled his eyes but Blossom smiled. She actually felt hopeful that she could sort things out, somehow. "Thanks Boomer." She got onto her knees on the couch and reached over to give him a hug, which he uneasily accepted.

"Um hello? I helped too."

They looked at Butch, who's arms were crossed in a pouting manner. Blossom smirked and leapt at the green ruff, tackling him in a bear hug that knocked them off the couch. She wrapped her arms around him tightly enough to cause discomfort.

"OK YOU CAN LET GO." Butch choked out and she did as he bid. She laughed as he dramatically gasped for air.

"You think that hug was tight? Watch this."

Butch's face went pale as Boomer went after him and he got up and tried to take off. Boomer was faster and caught Butch's torso, cutting off his breathing with a hug and smothering the green ruff's face into the couch cushion. Blossom giggled at the two boys. They were like adorable children. She smiled and tilted her head. These boys weren't villains at all and she was going to prove it to everyone...right after she dealt with a certain red ruff. But for now, she just wanted to relax for the first time in months.


	10. Chapter 10

The hot styrofoam felt nice against her cold hand, the steam wafted passed her face. She sighed as a certain red rowdyruff invaded her thoughts. She imagined that the hot cup was actually his hand, intertwined with hers, as those blazing red eyes gazed down at her. Her. Only her. No other girl could receive the same passionate look from him as she did. Those eyes could never hold admiration for anyone but her.

God _Damnit_.

She pinched the bridge of her nose and, in doing so, accidentally nudged her hood back. But she didn't care at this point. Hell the whole town could walk into the shop right now and see her. All she could think about was Brick. Only three days away from him and she was going insane. Although it was mostly her own fault for trying to force away the feelings that she could no longer deny. Boomer was right...again. He really was a love expert just like her sisters. Hm. Maybe they could get along.

Oh shut up.

She mentally slapped herself for being so stupid. As if the ruffs and puffs could ever coexist. Sure, she got along with them. But how long did that take? And her sisters could be so stubborn at times. Perhaps Bubbles could learn to accept the ruffs company but Buttercup? Absolutely not. Because just as the Professor had taught her, she taught her sisters to never get along with the enemy. Never trust the enemy. Never befriend the enemy. She had cemented the idea that villains would always be villains in their heads. But that had been when they were children, back when she ate up everything the Professor said.

She tried to shrug it off. Nothing was ever impossible, that was all she had to say about it.

The chime of the door opening startled her and she yanked her hood back over her face. Heels clinked against the tiled floor and a high pitched voice rang out.

"Iced caramel macchiato with extra whipped cream. And when I say extra, I mean extra whipped cream not less coffee, so don't scam me."

She told herself not to look, but the voice was so familiar.

The woman huffed and Blossom could hear her digging in a purse. "Mm, give me one of those vanilla bean scones. Actually...make that two."

Blossom had to literally grab her head in order to stop from looking.

She listened as coffee began to pour into the cup. Then the woman spoke again. "Did you hear about what happened to the brats?" No response. "Hmph. Well, apparently they're taking a break from crime fighting for a little while because their minds are too 'foggy'. Not surprising, they're probably going crazy without her." She spat the last word out, voice laced with venom. "I can't believe they haven't given up yet. Must be tough. Oh well, serves them right for what they did to me."

That snooty tone. The arrogance.

"Here you are, Princess." The cashier spoke.

Blossom blinked. Princess. Yes. She remembered now.

"Eh, guess your business is lacking now without her charity." Princess snarkily replied.

Wait...was she talking about-

"Yes, we miss Blossom dearly. She did great things for all of us, which is why you should talk about her with some respect." The cashier stated sadly, slightly angrily.

Blossom adjusted her sunglasses.

"...Well, I-" Princess paused and a solemn sigh escaped her lips. "I know. I didn't mean it like that."

There was a small silence and then Blossom heard a sniffle.

"I miss her, too." Princess mumbled.

Blossom couldn't hold back anymore. She glanced over her shoulder and saw, for the first time in years, her childhood nemesis; Princess Morbucks. The red head's hair was as messy and untamed as ever and she was adorned in a glittering gold dress. But what caught Blossom's eye was the pink bracelet on her wrist. She held back a gasp. The feud between her and Princess had seized once they entered high school, both girls having matured and realized how pathetic and petty the fight was. Freshman year, they had been good friends. Blossom made Princess a friendship bracelet. But the friendship didn't last long. Princess chose to be home schooled and Blossom had to deal with other stuff, so the two separated. Eventually, Princess returned to her old envious ways and once again despised the pink puff. Blossom had thought that the girl still hated her, but apparently even Princess was hurt by Blossom's 'death'. It kind of touched her.

Blossom quickly turned back to her coffee, tucking herself away in the corner of the bench.

There was more sniffling and then Princess burst into sobs.

If Princess was this affected, then Blossom could only imagine what her sisters were like.

She picked up her coffee and tossed it into the nearest trash bin before rushing out of the back door, pulling her hood tight over her face, and hurrying back to the mansion.

* * *

She tapped her fingers against the table, humming softly to herself. For the past three days she had been burrowing herself inside the library or disappearing outside of the house, whatever it took to stay out of Brick's vicinity. She had explained to him that she needed some time to herself and he chose not to question her, which proved to be helpful. She tilted her head back and stared up at the steep ceiling. She hoped it would only be a few more days. Just a few more and then she would know how she felt. Because right now, she was still confused. She couldn't get him off her mind nor stop longing for him but that fact only served to anger her, which seemed...wrong. If she did have feelings for him then shouldn't she be fine with missing him? Yet her fists still clenched every time his red gaze flashed in her mind.

"You're disappointed in yourself, just like Brick was. You both feel that romance is weak and unnecessary and that it damages your ego." Was what Boomer had told her earlier that day.

It made sense. She had never involved herself in pointless relationships. She didn't go on dates, she didn't flirt around, she'd never had any intimate affiliations with a guy before. Brick was the only person she'd ever touched or been touched by in an affectionate way. And now that she thought about it, perhaps the reason she had avoided guys her whole life was because of her leader status. She was her sisters' role model and therefore whatever she did, they'd most likely do. So if she caught herself up in pointless relationships then so would they. And yeah...love sort of was weakness and did bruise her ego. Her sisters were her biggest weakness. Threaten them and she'd crumble. As a superhero, she couldn't have weaknesses so she avoided growing close to people as much as possible. It was just in her DNA.

But Brick was...different. It almost seemed that they were created for each other. Initially it had simply been to kill one another but now? The connections they had. The conversations they'd shared. The similarities. The understandings. And instead of becoming each other's weakness, they'd been strengthening one another. She had helped him grow into a kinder person who could control his anger and be a better leader. He had taught her that not all villains were bad. He had helped her become more aware, alert, and strategic.

She glanced at the door and imagined his tall figure bursting in and hurrying over to scoop her into a hug, unable to stay away from her for any longer. She stared at the spot on the floor where they'd sat together, his cheeks lightly tinged pink as he expressed his emotions. Another thing that they had done for each other; helped release their true thoughts and feelings. Usually getting into a relationship could be selfish, a craving for one's own needs to be satisfied, to have someone to hold them and whisper compliments into their ear. But with Brick it was different. She couldn't deny that staying with him would be a selfless choice of hers because she would be doing it for him, to continue to help him grow.

She yanked her hand away from the table as an invisible warmth tickled her skin.

No more denying. She knew she had feelings for him. Now, it was just a matter of whether or not to act on those feelings.

"Just a few more days." She told herself. "Don't over complicate it." Which was ironic for her to say, because Brick was so complicated; how could she not complicate this?

Her thoughts were cut off as a commotion erupted within the house. She stood and made her way to the door, tilting her head against it. It was Butch and Boomer, they were shouting at each other. She cracked open the door and peered into the hallway. No, not each other. Someone else was in the house.

"Brick! BRICK!"

A door upstairs slammed open and footsteps thundered above her. Brick came storming down the stairs, looking none too pleased to have been bothered. The staircase was at the end of the hallway that she was standing in and she could see his face. He first opened his mouth to yell at his brothers but instead caught sight of something and froze, his face falling. She wasn't entirely sure, but it almost looked like he was horrified.

"How did-?" He paused and continued to stare at whatever was in front of him like it was a ghost.

Butch stepped into her line of sight. "They said they followed the...uh...dirt?"

Brick glanced at his brother, processing his words. "...Dirt?" Then it registered and his expression fell before he face palmed. "God damn it."

She could hear Boomer's voice. "What do we do?"

There was complete and utter silence. Butch looked to Boomer who looked to whoever was standing with them and then they all stared at Brick.

Blossom eased the door back so that she could get a better look at who else was with them. The old door's rusted hinges groaned and she cursed out loud. All heads turned her way and she shot back into the library.

"Outside. Now." Brick ordered in an authoritative voice, something she hadn't heard him do in a while.

There was the shuffling of footsteps, a door slammed shut, and then eerie silence. She frowned and walked out into the hallway. It was empty.

"Hm..." She shrugged and made her way back to the library.

"FUCK YOURSELF!"

She jumped at the shout that rang from the backyard. Damn whoever that was was angry as-

Wait.

Her heart stopped.

She knew that voice.

Could it be...?

Her eyes went wide. The possibility overwhelmed her. She didn't even pause to think. She flew out of the library and down the hallway, bursting through the door, nearly knocking it off it's hinges. She came to a halt in the doorway. Everyone turned, her eyes found theirs.

Light pink met baby blue and lime green.

They gasped in sync.

Their lips moved to form her name.

She took a step into the grass.

"Blossom?"

Her eyes filled with tears. "Girls."


	11. Chapter 11

Relief and felicity washed over her as she opened her arms and was tackled down by her sisters. They fell to the grass together. Blossom sobbed tears of joy, burying her face into them as they cried along with her. Bubbles had her arms around her sister's waist, wailing loudly. Buttercup was tangled around Blossom's neck, head leaned against hers, muttering her sister's' name. Finally, _finally_, they were reunited.

"I knew it. I knew something was-" Buttercup choked on her words and Blossom rubbed her back reassuringly. "I knew you weren't dead." The green puff admitted and swallowed her sobs. Blossom smiled at her and gave her another squeeze. They laid there for a while, oblivious to their surroundings, holding onto each other for dear life. A monster could have stormed down on them, aliens could've attacked, and they still wouldn't have moved. It was only when Blossom muttered her need for air that the trio began to untangle.

Buttercup slowly slipped away from her leader but Bubbles refused to let go. The little blonde's arms only tightened.

"Bu-Bubbles, come on." Buttercup hiccuped, trying to separate her from Blossom.

She shook her head. "N-NO!" She sobbed, tears spilling down her cheeks. "B-B-Blossom."

"It's okay, Buttercup." Blossom murmured softly to her sister, who only rubbed at her wet cheeks and let out a weak, "hmph."

Blossom pet her little sister's head delicately, using her other hand to wipe away her tears.

They were here. Her sisters were here. They were alive and from what she could tell; uninjured.

They hadn't changed much since she'd seen them in Mojo's prison, but now she was seeing them up close. Both of them still had dark circles ringing their eyes and pale skin. Buttercup's hair was a mess but she was standing just fine, her leg had healed perfectly. Even the gash across her face had disappeared. And Bubbles...oh, Bubbles. She still had her blonde locks tied into her signature pigtails and there wasn't a single sign of the wounds she had endured. But they looked so tired, so sad. The only joy she could really see was in their eyes.

"I missed you girls so much." Blossom smiled and held both of their hands.

Bubbles sniffed and forced a small smile onto her face. "We missed you, too, Blossy."

Buttercup, however, wasn't so sentimental. Her eyes narrowed and she pointed an accusing finger at her sister. "You missed us? Do you have any idea how hard it's been for Bubbles and I without you to tell us what to do? We've been sitting around with our thumbs up our asses!" She tossed her arms into the air. "We were lost without you, how could you abandon us?" Her voice was still loud but broken and her face instantly fell. "Why...?"

Bubbles shook her head at her green sister. "Stop it, Buttercup. We don't even know what ha-happened yet."

"Were you kidnapped? She was kidnapped. Who's balls am I gonna have to break?" Buttercup seethed as she began to crack her knuckles.

"_Stop_ Buttercup." Bubbles whispered, trying desperately to persuade her sister to back down.

Blossom, however, just smiled solemnly. "Girls, I think we should take this inside." She glanced at the boys. "And perhaps in private."

Bubbles and Buttercup blinked and spun around, as though they had forgotten about the boys' presence entirely.

Buttercup growled. "You shit heads were a part of this weren't yo-!"

Bubbles grabbed her arm and ushered a fuming Buttercup into the mansion while Blossom paused to speak with the boys.

She turned to Brick and her eyes filled with fear, she couldn't resist it any longer she hadn't spoken to him for three days and right now she desperately needed his advice. "What do I do?" Her voice was quiet. "I don't even know how to explain...what if they hate me for what I did?" She began to chew on her bottom lip, nerves getting the best of her, her commander ensemble falling apart. "How do I start? Do I tell them that I chose my pride over them? Or that I abandoned them to fend for themselves while I've been on vacation in a mansion with the ruffs?" Her hands began to tremble and Brick took hold of them, his red gaze softening.

"Blossom, they won't hate you. We all make mistakes, it's perfectly normal-"

"Normal? So it's normal to let my sisters die because I can't accept defeat?" She flinched at her own bitter words. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean-" She dropped her head. "I'm just so scared. Usually I'm prepared but this is so sudden and I have nothing..."

Brick frowned, suspicion overtaking his expression. "But I thought you've been planning what you'd say this whole time? Isn't that why you needed to be alone for a while?"

Her eyes widened. "Yes! I mean, yeah that is what I've been doing. I've been thinking of...my...er, sisters." Her cheeks burned and she turned away. "You know what? They're just my sisters, I'll be fine."

She tried to saunter off but Brick caught her wrist. Her gaze flicked to his hand then to his face and she had no way to cover the blush that tinted her cheeks.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

His words made her heart flutter and she cursed herself for it. "Yes, they're my sisters, right? They could never hate me."

He slowly released her wrist and she gave him a small smile before hurrying inside.

She slammed the door shut and shuddered at the weightless feeling in her chest. 'No, this is about your sisters now. Forget about him for the time being.' She took a deep breath and pushed away from the door, striding into the messy living room. She flinched at seeing her sisters sitting on the couch together, staring at her. One with a look of patience and the other crossing her arms and tapping her foot eagerly. It was so odd to see them in the ruffs house, especially in this situation.

"Bloss, are you okay?" Bubbles nearly whispered, her eyes widened ever so slightly.

The red haired puff nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. But this is going to take some time to explain so-"

"You mean to explain why your face is redder than a firetruck?" Buttercup scoffed.

Blossom stiffened. "Oh...that. Well I'm just kind of flustered, I guess, by all of this."

Bubbles folded her hands in her lap and looked up at her sister with big blue eyes. "Bloss, I know it's been a while but we can still tell when you're lying."

Buttercup nodded in agreement, giving Blossom an unamused look.

Blossom sighed and took a seat on the carpet in front of them. "Fine, that's a story for another time though. Right now I need you guys to be patient and I need you to at least try to understand." She glanced at them, waiting for their compliance.

Buttercup leaned back. "We're all ears, Leader girl."

Bubbles offered a reassuring smile.

So Blossom began.

* * *

"It all started when the ruffs came back. You remember they were stronger, smarter, and more driven?" Two heads nodded. "Well Brick was especially. He knew my weak spots and he used them to his advantage, especially my ego. We did more talking than fighting and his words, his taunts, always distracted me. No matter how hard I tried to block him out, he made sure to say just the right thing to hit me deep. Eventually I just couldn't take it anymore, what with the repeated battles that went without a victor and the endless crimes that we could never stop. They were just too strong. And it hurt me," She sighed. "Or, I should say, it hurt my pride. So much so that I didn't care about anything besides shutting him up, proving him wrong. I wanted to show him that I was the leader and I wouldn't fall for his stupid tricks. So when he threatened to kill you...I" She bit down on her lip, averting her gaze. "I challenged him back." She heard Bubbles' light gasp but couldn't bare to look at her. "I said, "You can't. I don't believe you. Because you guys are still too weak to kill us and you know why? Because you have a lame excuse of a villain for a leader."" She pressed her hand to the bridge of her nose, shutting her eyes. "And every time we fought he continued to carry that threat but I never listened. No, I believed that I was playing the reverse card and outsmarting him. But in truth, he outsmarted me. He knew how I would react and he planned it out so meticulously that I couldn't see it, I couldn't see anything past my damaged ego."

"Blossom...-"

She held a hand up to her blonde sister. "No, I have to finish." She opened her eyes but stared at the ground. "When the day finally came for him to stick true to his word, I did something even more terrible." She sucked in a sharp breath, feeling winded. "I-I" Her chest was so heavy, suffocating. "I didn't know-I thought..." She clenched her fists and built up the courage to speak the words she feared most and relive the memory she had forced into the back of her mind for too long. She breathed out, "I fled."

This time Buttercup gasped. "You...left us?"

Blossom squeezed her eyes shut again, tears trickling out the corners. She nodded.

Bubbles covered her mouth. "B-but why?"

"Because I-" Her stomach hurt so bad. "-was scared." Her sisters could only stare in horror, wishing it wasn't true. But Blossom continued. "He told me that if I didn't submit myself to him that he would kill you two. I just couldn't-couldn't see that. I thought, 'there's no way he's strong enough to just kill us. To erase us, just like that.' But oh was I wrong...so wrong. Because when that day came and I saw the wicked glee in his eyes I knew that I had been wrong. At that moment my whole world had flipped upside down, I had been fooled by myself. I had no plan B, hell I didn't even have a plan A. I was utterly lost. I looked in the sky and could see you both fighting with your counterparts and Brick was coming towards me. I was so terrified in that instance that the only thought, the only instinct I had was to run. And so I did. And when I came back, finally with an idea, it was too late. It took only moments and you were both gone. Just like that." She snapped her fingers. "Just like Brick had promised."

They were silent.

Their eyes wide. Mouthes open. Bubbles was shivering.

Blossom wrapped her arms around herself. "Well, I found you...and Brick found me. And he offered me another option. A way to erase the horror in front of me."

Buttercup sat up.

"Fall to him entirely and he would save you two. I accepted. Of course I accepted. The ruffs had Chemical X, lot's of it, and they had Mojo, who knew how to fix you unlike any surgeon or doctor could. They saved you both. I left you that note because I would never be allowed to see you again or come in contact with the outside world ever. I signed a contract that day, a contract that signs me off as property of my counterpart. And now I'm his until the day I die." She let her head fall and folded her hands.

"Blossom?" A delicate voice pierced her ear and she looked up. Bubbles had tears spilling down her face. Her beautiful cerulean gaze locked with her own. "Why wouldn't you tell us? Why wouldn't you try to escape? Why would you give up?"

"Because Brick said that if I disobeyed him then he would kill you. I wasn't going to make that mistake again."

"You should've told us." Buttercup muttered. "You should have told us about Brick's threat and then we could've figured it out together."

"I know..." Blossom's voice broke and she furrowed her brows. "I know I should have. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry girls. I'm just glad that you got to see me today and that you now know who was at fault." She rubbed away the tears. "I wish there was a way to find you a new leader or to have someone who you could follow, who could actually protect you. Maybe Brick...could replace me, because he was right after all. He really is the better leader. You know, I think he could teach you a few things. Just please don't give up like I did. I know you won't, but don't abandon Townsville. This world needs you girls and-and" She couldn't hold it back anymore. Her voice cracked and she burst into a fit of sobs. She brought her knees to her chest and tried to bury her face. "I'm sorry, I don't want this to be about me. I don't w-want to-" The sobs split through her words and she gave into them, body shaking. This was so wrong. She shouldn't be crying, shouldn't be feeling sorry for herself. This was supposed to be about her sisters, about setting their lives back on track and erasing the damage she had done to them. Now she was just tainting them more with her pathetic excuses.

Brick as their leader? What was she thinking. They probably thought she was a traitor now, that she was on the ruff's side. They didn't know that Brick was trying to change, that he _had_ changed. How could they know? Now it just sounded like she was trying to turn them into villains. 'Stupid. You're so stupid!' She shook her head and brought her knees closer. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid puff.' Maybe she should just leave and-

A hand fell on her shoulder and then a pair of small arms wrapped around her frame. The sweet smell of vanilla filled her nose and a soothing voice spoke to her. "It's okay, Bloss, it's okay. We understand."

She peered at her sisters over her arm and saw their blurry faces. Buttercup was kneeling behind Bubbles, her right hand on Blossom's shoulder while Bubbles embraced her.

"B-but how could you-I left...I-I"

Bubbles looked at her with watery eyes. "We all make mistakes."

Buttercup nodded.

Blossom was taken aback. Her eyes went wide. "You don't...hate me?" She breathed.

"Hate you?" Buttercup snorted. "You're our sister, how could we ever hate you?"

"Because I let you get hurt, I-"

Buttercup interrupted her. "This one here-" She tilted her head towards Bubbles. "-hit her head and thought she was Mojo and tried to kill us when we were kids. I tried to knock out Bubbles' teeth for money and joined the Gang Green Gang as a kid, almost letting you two get melted in lava. Also remember when Bubbles went hardcore? Yeah, she beat the shit out of you."

"But neither of you let anyone _die_." Blossom stated.

"Do we look dead?" Buttercup asked. Blossom slowly shook her head. "Exactly." The green puff got to her feet. "All of us have hurt each other, so what? It's not your fault that the ruffs got stronger. You're the one who made a deal to save us. You gave up your freedom, your dignity, your _life_ for us. Why should we hate you?"

Blossom lifted her head and Bubbles smiled at her.

"You may have left us then, but you can still make up for it, because we need you _now_." Buttercup spoke and offered her red haired sister a hand, green eyes blazing. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you say Leader girl?"

Bubbles tilted her head to the side, still holding a loving smile.

Blossom glanced down at her hand then up at her sisters, who were both waiting for an answer. Would she lead them again? Did she have the strength, the security, the _right_ to still lead them?

'If you don't have confidence in yourself, then you are no leader.' The words rang through her ears and she pulled away from her knees. 'You were born for this. You _are_ the commander and leader. It's time for you to make things right.'

She turned to her sister and held her strong gaze. "I say I will _always_ protect my sisters."

And she accepted her sister's hand, allowing herself to be pulled up, taking her rightful place before her sisters. They fixed their eyes on her, awaiting their commander's orders, the respect once again returned to their gazes.

Bubbles clapped her hands together with a smile and Buttercup grinned. "What now Leader girl?"


	12. Chapter 12

"Now," She began, leading her sisters to the front door. "We make things right." She turned to face them, keeping her voice firm to hide her hesitance. "You were able to understand and forgive me for my actions...so now I'm asking you to at least attempt to do the same for the ruffs."

Their faces instantly fell.

Buttercup's eyes lit up in fury. "WHAT!?"

"Blossom! They tried to kill us...They DID kill us! And now they're holding you hostage!" Bubbles' face was full of terror and disbelief.

Blossom ignored the fact that both of her sisters were looking at her as though she was insane. Instead she explained herself. "I know, trust me I do. But have you ever thought of what is was like for them? Imagine you were created to solely destroy someone, raised by an evil monkey and demon, instantly hated by everyone, forced into a villain mindset, never given a chance for redemption. That's what is was like for them. They had no choice. They didn't know anything about the world, their 'father figures' taught them everything, just like the Professor did for us. If the Professor had been evil, where would we be now?" Both girls glanced at each other with wide eyes. "Only recently were they able to escape Mojo and Him and then they were left in a world with upside down perspectives. You have to understand that Boomer and Butch were only following orders when they tried to...well, did kill you girls. Tell me, do you remember them smiling or laughing while they beat you down?"

Bubbles brought her hand to her mouth and Buttercup chewed the inside of her cheek. Neither had a response.

Blossom released a sigh. "Now I'm not saying we should all be friends and forgive each other for everything, I'm just saying that everyone deserves a second chance. The boys deserve another chance at life. Why don't we let them choose their destiny?"

Buttercup glared. "But what about Brick? He ordered them to kill us even after they'd escaped Him and Mojo and he's practically turned you into a slave! Why should he get a second chance?"

"Because," She began. "Brick has always had it harder, what with him being the leader the expectations for him were much higher. Mojo, Him, his brothers, everyone expected him to meet a certain standard. He was pushed deep into the darkness, much deeper than Butch and Boomer. He had to be a role model for his brothers and that ultimately drove him to be a worse person. But we have to understand and realize that these are boys that we're talking about. They were raised by villains, they're still teenagers just like us. We still have much to learn. And like I said before, I am just as much at fault for your near death as the boys are. They may have physically wounded you but I let it happen and I'm your sister, it's my duty to protect you and I failed. The boys were just upholding their duty by destroying us, the sole purpose for their being. I'm at fault, they're at fault." She turned to Bubbles. "You told me we all make mistakes, does that still hold true to the boys?"

The blonde puff bit her lip in silence.

"Girls, I know it's a difficult thing to comprehend and come to terms with. That's why I'm not asking you to do anything right now, I want you to take some time to think about things. Because if I'm being honest, I see potential in the boys. Imagine what it would be like to no longer have them as enemies? Or even to have them on our side? Which may be a little far fetched, but still. Just consider what I've said."

"Again though, Brick is still holding you hostage how is that okay-?"

Blossom put a hand up to silence Buttercup. "Some people show affection in strange ways." Her lips turns up at the corners. "Let me worry about that one."

Bubbles wrung her hands together. "Well...are we just leaving you here then?"

Buttercup glared. "Nah, like hell am I-!"

"Yes." Blossom ordered, shooting a firm look at her green eyed sister. "There are things that I still need to straighten out here but don't worry, I'll find a way out. So until then, just think about what I said and don't worry about me. Just trust me when I say the ruffs are different behind closed doors."

Buttercup clenched her fists. "We just got reunited and you're already trying to send us off!?"

Bubbles put a hand on her furious sister's shoulder. "Buttercup, she'll be fine, she's okay right now isn't she? Even after all this time. What would make a few days different?"

Buttercup crossed her arms, "But I don't want to leave. I...well I...er, damn it I've missed you okay? I don't want to leave so soon."

Blossom opened her arms and Buttercup instantly leapt into them, nestling her face into her sister's copper locks. She sniffled. "It's just not fair, why do you have to make things so difficult leader girl?"

Blossom chuckled lightly then pulled Bubbles into the hug. "I'll see you again soon, girls, I promise. This has all been a lot to take in and we each need some time to ourselves to think anyways."

"But all you ever do is think!" Buttercup stated.

"I know." Blossom smirked and released her siblings. "In a few days I'll be back at home and things are going to return to normal. We're going to fight crime together just like old times. Buttercups going to ignore my orders and be hotheaded and Bubbles is going to try to turn the monster into a pet."

All three laughed out loud.

"I cross my heart." Blossom marked an ex over her chest. "I love you girls."

"We love you too."

And with one last long, heartfelt hug, Blossom said goodbye to her sisters and watched them take off into the sky in a burst of green and blue. She smiled at their retreating colors and her smile stretched even further as a set of fingers laced with her own. She turned to her counterpart and looked up at him.

"You were right, they don't hate me."

He nodded and stared out the door where the two puffs had just stood. "They need their leader back, don't they?"

The streaks of color in the sky disappeared. She nodded back. "Of course they do and of course I won't let them carry the fate of the world on their shoulders alone..."

"But?" He questioned.

She sighed. "But I also can't let you carry yours and your brothers' fate on your shoulders alone."

He blinked and his face twisted into an expression of confusion. She glanced down at their intertwined hands and said, "Boomer said I was helping you change. But he was wrong, because I'm not just making you change, I'm making all of you change."

He put a finger to his chin. "Now that you mention it...Boomer has become more open and not so guarded while Butch has stopped caring about what others think of him and now he actually reads. I guess it took me a while to notice because I've been so caught up in this whole new powers shit and...well, you."

She gave him a playful smirk then paused. "New powers?"

His eyes flashed with surprise and then he removed his hat and held his hand over it. She watched in awe as it disappeared and a shower of petals replaced it, cascading to the floor. She picked one up and ran her finger along the soft, smooth flower. "How did you-?" Her eyes went wide as she looked up and found a reflection of herself standing before her. The hair, the eyes, the body, everything was identical. And then in a swirl of pink clouds, her twin morphed back into the red ruff.

"Cool, huh?" He smirked and reached down to pick up his hat which had returned to normal. "Back when we were reborn, Him gave us some of his powers, which you already know, that made us immune to your kisses and made us grow. There was a special way he gave us his powers that made it so you girls would make us stronger, but I don't know what it was. Anyways, one of his abilities was size-shifting. So when he gave us his powers, we gained the ability to change size as well." He placed his cap back over his ruffled hair. "Since you gave me his powers I can now shape shift, create illusions, control minds, and some other dark magic. Those are the powers I know he had, at least. He could've had more. But I don't know how to control minds or use any dark magic yet."

"Yet?" She questioned, an eyebrow arched. "Dark magic is...well...dark, evil, shouldn't you just stay away from it?"

He frowned. "Well it's kind of a part of me now so, no I really can't."

She pursed her lips and reached up to touch his hat. "Have any of your normal powers been affected?"

He shook his head.

"Have you felt sick?"

"No."

"Had any nightmares?"

He didn't respond and she looked at him.

"Brick."

He furrowed his brows and gave a firm, "No."

She was hesitant to move on but did so anyways. "Mood changes?" He shook his head. "Racing heart, shortness of breath, etc?"

"No, Pinky, I'm fine."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah that's what you said last time."

He frowned but ignored her comment. "Well how come you brought up how you've changed my brothers? What do you plan on doing? Because you can't stay with us and your sisters at the same time."

She crossed her arms and walked out the door, greeted by the warm evening air. "I know." Her eyebrows knit together as she thought. Of course all of this was sudden and unexpected, but she was a leader, she always had a plan. The only problem was she didn't know if both sides of the party would agree on the plan. But judging by the look on Brick's face, he wanted to know it regardless. She gave him a withering smile, "You guys could come live near us."

His frown deepened. "How? We don't have enough money and our siblings don't get along. Not to mention there's no way the city would let us purchase a house seeing as how we're villains. Also this house is fucking awesome so unless there's another mansion near your house, my brothers aren't going to agree."

She rubbed her fingers against either side of her temple and sat down on the steps. "That's the only solution I can think of." Brick sat beside her and she sighed, again. "I asked them to at least consider forgiving you guys which, of course will be difficult, especially from their perspective. But it's hopefully a step in the right direction. Quite a few people have started moving to the city because it has cheaper rent, due to the high risk of monsters and stuff, and there are a lot of large houses available on our street. The city gives us money for basic necessities such as shelter, food, water, and more so we have plenty to spare to help you buy a house. As for the city letting you purchase one, let me handle them." She folded her hands. "The biggest problem is our siblings and unfortunately theres nothing we can do about that. It's our own faults, we taught them to hate each other and they're too loyal to forget that."

Brick shook his head and she looked at him. "Pinky, none of this is necessary. Sure, you've done good for me and my brothers but this is turning into a trap for you. I'm holding you back, holding you away from your sisters. It's almost like you're still my hostage." She opened her mouth to speak but he shot her a look. "I know you want to help us and hell, I don't want you to leave, but I also want you to be happy. After all you've done for us, you owe us nothing more. But I owe you your freedom. Don't try to change your life and force your sisters into something for me. Maybe we'll all get along someday, but now certainly isn't the time. Instead of trying to alter their perspectives of us, try seeing things their way. Because if I had been killed by someone, I sure as hell wouldn't befriend them a month later, even if they had brought me back to life-"

"But you befriended me."

He blinked at her. "What...?"

Her eyebrows were still furrowed. "You fell in love with me which is why you nearly died, so I basically killed you. But then I brought you back to life and even though I almost killed you, you still love me."

"But that's different-"

"No it's not." Her voice was stern now. "Your brothers were just following orders when they killed my sisters. When I 'killed' you, it wasn't on purpose. When they killed my sisters, it wasn't willingly. Mistakes." She hissed. "It's all about making mistakes, about being blind, being stupid and then turning everything around and fixing it. That's what you're trying to do. That's what I'm trying to do. Everyone needs a second chance and I'm trying to give that to your brothers. To you. But I can't do that if you're not around. I can't fucking do that if you won't let me!" Her face was red now and Brick flinched. She clenched her fists. "Don't you see? Me and you, we're the same. I fucked up and so did you. Now it's time to make amends. My sisters may have forgiven me but they haven't forgiven you and I see fault in that. How come I get another shot at life but you don't? I was raised in a perfect world and taught to be a hero. You were raised in a horrible world and taught to be a villain. Our mistakes are equal." Her voice suddenly softened and she took his hand, staring deep into his eyes with a sympathetic look. "Brick, you can't abandon your villainous past without forgiveness. People need to believe that you've changed and deserve a second chance but they can't believe that when you don't even believe it yourself. My sisters know the difference between right and wrong and they know how to perceive justice. They're confused and lost right now, which is why I refuse to abandon them, but I'm going to lead them to where they need to be and that's when everything will fall into place. If you've ever trusted anything I've said before, then trust me when I say this; I'm going to fix this and make things right. You and your brothers aren't staying in this dark hole. My sisters aren't going to see you as villains anymore. And the world will know the truth. But before I can do anything..." She took her hand away from his. "I first need your word."

He shook his head, confused. "My word on what?"

Her expression turned serious and she spoke to him in an authoritative voice. "If you aren't villains anymore then there's only one other place for you." He tilted his head. Her face flashed with hope. "If you won't be a super villain...then how about a super hero?"


	13. Chapter 13

It was far fetched, she knew. But seeing her sisters had reminded her that the number one priority of a hero is to have hope. Never give up. Never back down. _Make things right_. And she knew that giving the ruffs a second chance was what was right. It was just a matter of how. How could she give them a second chance? What other place for them was there but to be a hero? The government certainly wouldn't accept them as normal citizens. The media would never see them as anything other than villains...unless they became heroes. This was the chance she would give them and she only hoped that they would at least consider her offer.

"I don't know much about being a hero..." Butch began as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the counter. "...but hell, I'm game for beating the shit out of monsters and getting praised for it!"

Her face lit up. "R-really?"

Boomer bit his lip and slouched back in his chair. "But aren't there a shit ton of rules to follow? And I don't wanna work along side the police, those assholes treated us like dirt our whole lives. Not to mention the government, blah, fuck them."

Brick tapped his fingers against the marble impatiently. "They treated us like dirt because we blew up their city and beat them up."

Boomer scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah that's true...but still, the rules?"

"We follow less rules then the citizens and we have ways to get around them, seeing as people constantly owe us favors." Blossom answered simply, then added, "But obviously you can't take advantage of the system just because you're a super hero. It's just not as strict as you might think."

Butch tousled his brother's hair. "Come onnn Boomer, stop being a pussy."

Boomer pushed back his chin length locks and grumbled, "Fine."

Brick nodded at Blossom with a proud smirk. "See? I told you they'd agree."

Her mouth was agape. 'That went so much better than I expected.' She cleared her throat. "Alright, excellent. Now all you guys have to do is wait for me to talk with the government, I'll settle things with the mayor about you guys being heroes and getting a house, then you'll each just have to sign a contract, we'll help you move into the house, and everything will be set." She smiled brightly and then went pale as a realization hit her. "Shit, I forgot that I'm supposed to be dead." She covered her mouth. "Oh my god..."

Brick gave her an encouraging smile. "Hey, one step at a time. While you're working that out, we'll start practicing on being decent human beings, _who don't put their feet on kitchen tables_." Brick shot Butch a warning glare and said ruff immediately set his feet back on the ground.

Blossom beamed at her counterpart. "I appreciate it, Brick." She looked to his brothers. "I also have to add that in becoming heroes, you'll have to interact with my sisters."

Butch threw his head back with a groan and Boomer opened his mouth. Brick cleared his throat, silencing both of them.

"We all learned to get along with you I'm sure we can do the same for your sisters." Brick stated firmly, addressing his brothers more so than Blossom.

She chuckled. "I hope so."

She gave Brick a nod and he turned to his brothers. "That's it for now, get out of here."

They hurriedly scuffled out of the kitchen, leaving Blossom and Brick.

"Okay, so I'll give you the basic rundown of how things work." She began, pulling out a piece of paper and pen for him to jot down notes. "My sisters and I didn't always have rules to follow, besides what our dad told us, until crimes got more hectic. With the destruction of property, injuries, and unsolved cases, the government decided to create a sort of constitution for us. Each 'ruler' from every country initially agreed on the terms of this constitution, it went into effect six years ago, when we were twelve. It was confusing as hell back then, but I'm going to simplify it for you." She motioned for him to start writing and he grudgingly did so. "We have ten strict rules to follow. 1. We are not allowed to kill, harm, or mistreat any innocent beings. 2. We can not destroy public property without due reason. 3. Powers are not prohibited on school grounds without proper reasoning. 4. We may not be known as exceptions to the law unless there are special circumstances..."

"Special circumstances?"

She smirked. "Well, the law still applies to us on a regular day, but not when we're in 'battle mode'. Say there was a monster who had just stepped foot in the city but not yet destroyed anything. Naturally, we would go to take it down. But the law says "the right of self-defense is the right for the people to use reasonable force or defensive force, for the purpose of defending one's own life or the lives of others." At that moment no lives are being threatened, there technically is no just cause. However, this is an example of an exception to the law because our job is to _prevent_ harm to the city, not minimize it. So we can't wait for the monster to start destroying things, we have to take action immediately. So we become an exception to the law. Make sense?"

He blinked and nodded slowly.

She brought her hands together. "Good, let's continue..."

* * *

"Holy shit." Brick massaged his temples and let his head hit the table.

Blossom laid her head down on the counter next to him and smiled. "It's really not that much once you get used to it. And my sisters and I will handle the political stuff while you guys adjust."

He turned to face her, head still on the table. "But I don't know hardly anything about...politics and this whole media things is going to be tough. I never knew how influential cameras and newspapers were."

She sighed. "Yes, that is one of the downfalls. The media isn't the 'friendliest' at times. But there are positives about it. People will respect and admire you, you won't be treated like villains anymore. Of course, some will still distrust you, but there are plenty of people who still hate my sisters and I and believe we should be killed or put in prison, stricken powerless, because we're a 'danger'. That's the thanks we get for saving their sorry asses." She narrowed her eyes at the thought.

Brick snickered. "Not a fan, huh?"

"You have no idea." She groaned, rolling her eyes. "I've been called a bug eyed freak, monstrosity, mutated mistake, criminal, and so many other despicable names yet the only one that's really stuck is 'the alien from Antarctica'. Every single fucking newspaper has at least one line about it. And you know why it bothers me so much?" He furrowed his brows. She grit her teeth. "Because of a stupid mistake I made when I was five, a mistake I made before saving _everyone_."

"What was it?" He pried.

She buried her head in her arms. "I had just discovered my new power; ice breath. I was a child, I was excited, it was _fun_ and _cool_. So when we got called in to a robbery, I figured my special power was the perfect solution. Unfortunately, the weather that day was so blisteringly hot that the robbers' tires melted off and without the rubber, the tires can be like skates. So when I froze the road, their car slid off faster than we could follow them and they got away. It was a simple mistake. Just a stupid, childish thing. And then, being the dutiful leader that I was, I swore not to use my ice breath again. Few minutes later and an asteroid was headed for Townsville, so who does everybody go crying to? Me. And of course I did what I had to do, froze the damn rock and destroyed it. But to this day people still hang on to that little mishap and use it not only as an insult, but as an example. An example of why they should take away our powers. It's ridiculous, I know it is, but that's just how some people are, how they'll always be." She looked at him again. "I just want you to know that not everyone will love you but it's better than everyone hating you...w-which I'm not saying everyone hates you now but I-!"

He smirked and shook his head. "No I get it. My brothers know it, too. It's not necessarily love that we want but rather...a place to belong."

She nodded. "I understand. And I'm going to help you get to that place. We'll do it, _together_." She smiled.

He smiled back and rested his hand atop hers. "I can't wait."

* * *

Her heart was hammering against her chest. These were people she knew, this was her town, this was her _life_ and yet she couldn't push back the nerves. Because she had no idea how they would react and quite frankly, she was concerned about her speech. Of course she couldn't tell the everyone that Brick had nearly killed her sisters and taken her hostage, but she also wasn't going to lie, she was simply going to...beat around the bush. The lines were in her head and she had recited them countless times, imagining that those cameras were flashing before her eyes and microphones were being shoved in her face, but no matter how many times she practiced, there was no telling how things would turn out.

She had stayed with the ruffs for three days after reuniting with her sisters. Brick had gotten the basic gist of how things would work and the boys also understood. Her sisters had come to the decision to give the ruffs a shot, but in Buttercup's words, "If they make one wrong move then I'm shipping their asses back to the fucking hell hole they came from and they ain't never coming back out." She was endlessly grateful for her sisters' consideration. She knew they were only agreeing to giving the boys a chance because she asked them to, and that the road to 'getting along' was going to be very long and very difficult, but it was a start. And things got even better, the very large, three story house across the street from them was up for rent. It was all going so smoothly so far, she could only hope that her return would be the same.

"You're going to do great." Bubbles reassured her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Aw man, Bubbles, come on we just finished getting the wrinkles out of her blouse." Buttercup sighed heavily as she tried to tug Bubbles away. "I still don't understand why you don't just wear your puff uniform."

Blossom glanced in the mirror and tucked back a stray piece of hair. "Because we have no idea what they'll think. What if they don't accept me back? What if they want me off the team? Can't take any chances."

Bubbles crossed her arms with an angry huff. "That's ridiculous! Theres no way you're leaving the team, who cares what they say. You're our sister and we stick together. You can have all of us or none of us."

Buttercup nodded in agreement.

Blossom chuckled. "No, that's not what I meant. Of course I'm staying, I just don't want to anger anyone. Wearing my uniform right away, even though I only just got back and haven't explained myself yet, could look disrespectful to some people. You girls know better than anyone how the media can be."

Bubbles sighed solemnly. "I guess you're right...at least this outfit is still cute!" She said as she tugged lightly on the rolled up sleeve.

Buttercup scoffed. "Well duh it looks good, she's wearing _my_ jeans."

"I don't have many pairs." Blossom shrugged simply.

"Weeeelll, jeans aside, I think it's time to go." Bubbles chirped excitedly, throwing open the door and taking hold of her sister's arm.

Blossom glanced at her raven haired sister who gave her an encouraging nod. She took a deep breath and strode out the door, waiting for her sisters to join her before they all took off into the sky, their signature rainbow once again marking their trail.

* * *

Things...turned out different than she expected.

Firstly, there was only one camera and no microphones. She was brought to the City Hall and they decided to make it a private meeting, so none of the press was allowed. The single camera was simply for record and documentation, 'strictly political', reasons.

Secondly, Ms. Bellum, the mayor, and the governor were the only people in the room besides her and her sisters. The governor, a middle aged rotund woman who had been elected around the time of the puff's birth, had been called to the hall by Ms. Bellum two days ago. Blossom's sisters had notified Bellum of a serious matter that would require them to all meet up and now here they were.

Lastly, no one looked ecstatic to see her. They didn't even offer a polite handshake or wave. The mayor was busy prying open a jar of pickles, Ms. Bellum was flipping through a stack of papers, and the governor was contempt with shooting nasty glares at the girls.

"So, what you're telling me is you had a moment of self entitlement that made you choose to desert your duty and run away into an abandoned cabin in the middle of the woods for almost a month?" The woman spoke in a sharp, bitter tone and her dark eyes creased as she narrowed them.

Blossom folded her hands in front of her, maintaining her composure despite the tension. "In a sorts, yes. I was horrified and devastated by my vulnerability and decided the best way for me to regain my stability was to take some time to think."

"So you ran." The governor spat. "You abandoned _all_ of us. Like a coward."

Blossom opened her mouth to offer a polite counter when Ms. Bellum cleared her throat. The tall, busty woman rested her stack of papers in the crook of one elbow and walked over. "I'm sure we can agree that the leader of our brave, selfless trio of heroes is not quite a coward. After all, a coward never would have returned."

The governor was silenced by this and Blossom was reminded of why she had always looked up to the mayor's assistant. She gave her childhood idol a smile.

"Well, now. Your time off may have given us all a scare, but things will be put back in order quickly, I assure you. The next time there is a robbery or monster attack, you'll be on the front lines. Once everyone sees the pink powerpuff girl in action, they'll welcome you back with open arms. Then we will inform the press of your return and blur some of the...details, for privacy reasons. Everything will be as it was in due time." Ms. Bellum handed Blossom a piece of paper. "This is a consent form, ensuring you are completely on board with what we tell the press. This-" Another paper. "-is to provide proof that you're not dead, we'll need to snap a quick picture. This packet is all of the updated policies and anything you may have missed while you were away. And finally, here is a work permit."

Blossom took the last paper with a frown. "Work permit?"

Bellum nodded. "Your sisters need one as well,-" She handed the two girls their own permits. "A new law has gone into effect, now even superheroes must fill out a work permit before being allowed to 'work'. In other words, you can't fight crime without filling these out."

The governor had a sly smirk on her face. "It ensures you can't abandon your duty."

Bellum crossed her arms in an elegant manner. "Yes, but it wasn't made _because of_ you Blossom."

The pink puff shuffled the papers together and smiled. "Thank you Ms. Bellum. I suppose it is necessary to-"

BZZZZZZ

_"Fighting crime, trying to save the world, here they come just in time: the Powerpuff girls!"_

With a surprised squeak, Bubbles pulled the ringing phone from her pocket and blinked. "It's Ms. Keane, she's calling from the hotline."

Ms. Bellum held her hand out and the phone was quickly placed in it. "Hello? Yes, this is Bellum. Really...? Hm, yes we'll fix that immediately. Ms. Keane? Are you still there?" She tried to turn the volume up. "Ma'am? Yes, I'm still here, but you're breaking up. Say that again. Wait, am I hearing you correctly?...There's a WHAT heading straight for the SCHOOL?!"

The puffs' eyes went wide.

Ms. Bellum turned to the girls and with a deep breath, she regained her professional ensemble. "Apparently our hotline is broken, that's why she called your phone Bubbles. But it is indeed an emergency." She gathered the papers back from them. "I'll have these mailed to your house, right now there's a bigger issue at hand. Blossom, this is your opportunity." She looked towards the young girl who immediately straightened her back. "A trio of monsters are tearing through Townsville, following a direct path to the school. They'll be there in a mere five minutes. Take them down and in the meantime I'll prepare the news report for your return."

Blossom gave her a curt nod then turned to her sisters. "Alright girls, it's been a minute since we've fought together but we have a pledge to uphold and we aren't going to let those beasts destroy the school. Now stick to my orders and be alert, remember our number one goal is to protect the citizens. Are you girls ready?"

"Hell yeah!" Buttercup pounded a fist into the air.

"EEEEE I'm so excited!" Bubbles beamed.

Blossom grinned. "Then let's go!"


	14. Chapter 14

It had been less than a month.

And yet she was completely out of her element.

"Er...Bubbles you take the green one. Wait-" She bit her lip, glancing between the three monsters that were swatting aside buildings like flies as they marched forward through the city. She momentarily panicked. Three giant monsters, coming at them, school in danger, children everywhere, all up to her, what to do, what to do? 'Think, use your brain. Compare the monsters' capabilities to your sisters'' There was a smaller, scrawnier monster on the left side of the pack. It resembled a large T-Rex with human-like skin and it's back and tail were covered in projectile spikes. It was the smallest of the three monsters and a person would need to be fast in order to avoid those spikes and stop them from hitting people. She turned to her sister. "Bubbles! Take the small one, now!"

Bubbles hesitated and pointed to the T-Rex lookalike. "This one?"

Blossom nodded frantically. "Yes, yes! Go now!"

Her sister zipped off in a flash of blue and began her attack. Although...Blossom frowned. Bubbles was dodging the slashing tail and deflecting the sharp projections but she wasn't doing any damage to the monster.

Blossom eyed the T-Rex and tried to find it's weakness. It's arms were very short so if it were to fall...

"Leader girl!" Buttercup barked and rushed over to her leader's side. "Who do I go after? They're getting close!"

Two more monsters. One was green, covered in some sort of goo and had acid spit while the other was the largest and somehow also the fastest. Due to it's size, it could crush a building with no effort at all, but she hadn't seen it use any powers. However, it was running right towards them.

"Take that one, the biggest. And make sure to-!" Buttercup took off before she could finish and was nearly hit by the monster's powerful fist. "-watch out for the hands." Blossom sighed heavily and turned her attention to the third monster who was spraying acid everywhere, melting down numerous buildings. She narrowed her eyes and watched as it turned her way and spit straight at her. She ducked out of it's path but didn't take her eyes off it's mouth, where she could see it's large saliva glands located next to each cheek. Destroy the glands and it wouldn't be able to spit. She flew after it.

"AAAAAAAH!"

Her head turned just in time to see Buttercup's body come catapulting towards her. She screamed with her sister as their bodies collided and they went soaring through a window. The glass shattered upon impact but fortunately didn't cut them. Blossom rolled across the floor and smashed into the wall. Buttercup grabbed hold of the window ledge in time to stop herself. A curtain of glass rained down on them.

"Grrr, sorry Bloss." Buttercup muttered as she got to her feet, shaking the glass from her shoulders.

Blossom sat up and brushed off the debris. "Don't apologize, it wasn't your fault." She picked out a shard from her pants and frowned. "Sorry about your jeans."

Buttercup smirked at her. "Don't apologize, it wasn't your fault."

Blossom smirked back then gasped as the ground shook and she stumbled down.

"Shit!" Buttercup cursed as she too fell and turned to her leader. "Bloss, what do I do? The big ones too fast!"

Blossom stood up and hurried over to the window. Bubbles was still defending herself from the spikes of the T-Rex and the other two were rampaging towards the school much quicker than before. "You have to keep hitting him with all you got, he can't get to the school!"

Buttercup nodded and shot off. Blossom followed after and set her sights on the acid spitting monster. It was turned away from her so she shot at it with her eye beams, gaining it's attention. She picked up speed as she shot towards it. The monster turned to her and opened it's maw, it's glands filling. She sucked in a deep breath and got as close up as she could before releasing. The gust of ice encased it's mouth. The monster screeched and tried to grab her but she flew upwards. It continued to swat at the air and tried to close it's mouth. It's powerful jaws were already causing the ice to crack. She waited for it to look up.

"Hey! Up here!" She called out, using her eye beams to once again distract it. The beast followed her voice and she took off, straight for it's mouth. In mere seconds those jaws could come slamming down on her but she had no choice. It grabbed at her but she was too quick and the second she landed inside it's mouth, it's jaws snapped shut, sealing her inside the disgusting, humid mouth of the beast. The glands were still frozen but the acid was quickly melting the ice. She gathered energy into her hands and held them out to her sides. In a burst of pink light, the glands exploded and the jaws flew open. She hurried out and watched as the monster roared in agony, stumbling backwards into the T-Rex who fell onto his stomach and became stuck. It's spikes impaled the acid monster and both beasts went down. The T-Rex was trapped, the goo from the other monster sticking to him like glue and his arms were unable to push him up, instead they simply flailed at his chest. The acid monster's cheeks had been incinerated along with most of it's teeth.

"Blossy look!" Bubbles squealed and the red leader whipped around. Her eyes went wide as Buttercup was once again thrown into a building and the monster continued forward to the school, only one block away.

"Bubbles follow my lead! We attack it's legs!" Blossom ordered and the two went after the final monster.

Blossom stuck her leg out and kicked the beasts calf as hard as she could but it was too thick. She attempted to freeze it to the ground but it was too strong. Bubbles screamed as the monster kicked her aside and then attempted to stomp on her. Blossom screamed as well when in a flash of green, Buttercup was above Bubbles holding up the foot.

"Leader girl do something!" Buttercup yelled as she grit her teeth and began to shake from the sheer strength of the monster.

Blossom knew that the only way to stop the beast was to go after it's legs but how? She turned around and flew back over to the other monsters. The T-Rex had spikes on it's head which wasn't being covered by the other monster on top of it. She wrapped her arms around the spike and pulled. Pain shot through her limbs and she jumped back with a yelp. The spikes were barbed.

"Leader girl!"

Buttercup's face was bright red and her eyes were squeezed shut. Blossom bit her lip. Oh god, this was going to hurt. She opened her already scraped arms, clenched her teeth, and embraced the spike once again. She pulled with all her might and screamed as she did so, the spicules sliced into her skin but she held tight. There was a loud ripping sound and she almost fell back as the spike popped out of the monster. She glanced down at the bloody mess she had created and grimaced but nonetheless hurried to her sisters' aid. She held the spike up like a javelin and threw it directly at the leg that Buttercup was holding up. It hit it's target and the monster bellowed.

"Buttercup, Bubbles, get out of there!" Her sisters immediately did so and shot to her side. "Are you girls okay?"

"I'm fi-BLOSSY!" Bubbles covered her mouth, face pale.

Buttercup grabbed one of her arms and held it up. Blood dripped from her pale, ripped up skin and she flinched back. "Girls focus. I'm okay. We need to take out it's other leg, can you help me get another spike?"

They both hesitated and she grew irritated.

"GIRLS!" They flinched at her outburst. "There's a school full of children in danger! Let's go!" They nervously followed her to the handicapped monsters and Bubbles had to hold back a whimper at the sight. "Okay one of us has to go into the hole created by the missing spike and get underneath the spike next to it and push it up and out of the skin. Someone else will have to hold onto the tip and pull it out."

Bubbles nearly vomited. "G-go in..._there_!?"

They'd fought many disgusting monsters and gotten covered in many unknown substances before but Blossom had to agree that this monster was a bit more...human like when it came to it's flesh and blood. So she looked at Buttercup expectantly. The green puff made a face but did as told and dove into the cavity. Bubbles' cheeks puffed and she turned away.

"Bubbles! Bubbles I need you to grab onto the-" Her sister was out, currently on the road vomiting. She sighed and went to grab the spike herself. It began to move upwards and she helped pull it out. In no time it was torn from the monsters neck. At this point, the monster's screams had become a background noise. She focused her attention on the final threat. The largest monster was still on it's feet, hobbling forward quite quickly. She lifted up the weapon, aimed, and-

_ROOOOOOAAARRRR_

It fell from her hands. Her face went white.

"Oh god, no."

The T-Rex was no longer on the ground beneath it's friend, but rather in the sky soaring straight towards her and it's stolen spike. She had nowhere to go, anywhere she went it would follow. 'Shit Shit Shit.' She tried to cover herself and shield off the attack but instead Buttercup tackled it from it's side and threw it to the ground. Blossom blinked as both of her sisters appeared in front of her.

"The acid guy is getting back up, the big ones still heading for the school, and now this one can fly! What do we do!?" Buttercup threw her arms in the air.

Blossom looked them both in the eye. "Do you remember Cosmic Cannonball?"

Their eyes went wide.

"We haven't done that since we were kids!" Buttercup retorted.

"Remember how much damage it caused?!" Bubbles questioned.

Blossom shook her head. "Not as much damage as these monsters are going to cause if we don't destroy them _now_." She crossed her arms. "Which is more important; a few buildings or a school full of kids?"

They glanced at each other and sighed. "Fine."

"Alright then. Bubbles lure the big one over here. Buttercup do the same for the acid guy. I'll take care of the flying one." They all shot off in their separate directions. Bubbles fired her energy beams at the monster repeatedly, hitting it in the face and injured leg, until it became annoyed and chased after her. Buttercup gave the acid guy a boost up then started circling it, forming a tornado that ushered him towards the target spot. Blossom flew forward towards the flying beast when it turned and threw the spikes off its tail at her. She deflected all but one, which she caught by the tip. She turned it around and launched it at the monster's wing. It cried out and began to fall to the ground so she swooped under it, carrying it to where her sisters had the other two beasts. They grouped the monsters together by Buttercup and Bubbles creating a 2-tornado around them. Blossom stepped back and inhaled all of the air she could.

"Now Blossom!" Buttercup called as her and Bubbles separated. Blossom exhaled and the monsters became covered in a thick sheet of ice, frozen solid for the time being. She gasped for air and had to take a moment before joining her sisters.

"Follow my lead!" She commanded and they took to the sky, shooting upwards until the blue ether transformed into a black one. They floated in space, surrounded by stars and satellites. Blossom pointed down. "Come on they're still in position! Drop on the count of three! One!" They brought their knees up to their chests. "Two!" The ice around the monsters began to split. They brought their arms around their legs. "THREE!" They fell in sync, quickly gaining speed and gravitating towards each other. They connected and morphed into a fiery black ball that hurdled towards Earth. The ice broke with an ear piercing shatter. The monsters fell apart from each other. They were coming in fast...too fast. They hit the ground and in one solid BOOM the Earth shook and a blinding white light filled the atmosphere.

Blossom's ears were ringing when she broke away from her sisters and hovered in the air. She groaned and her eyes fluttered open. What she saw was no doubt horrifying, an entire street had been blown apart. Buildings, cars, billboards, they had all been turned to ash and were carried away by the wind, leaving behind a huge black stain. But there was no trace of the monsters.

"WOOHOOO!" Bubbles and Buttercup slapped their hands together in a victorious high five and Blossom smiled.

"Good job girls. We were able to control it enough to restrict it's area damage. Much better than last time." She opened her arms and gave her sisters a proud hug.

"You still got your touch leader girl." Buttercup chuckled.

"Blossy you did so good!" Bubbles squealed.

Blossom waved away their compliments. "No, no. We _all_ did good today." She rested a hand on either of their shoulders. "And now we can finally become even better and begin train-"

"Who's that?"

"Blossom?!"

"It's Blossom!"

"BLOSSOM!"

"BLOSSOM IS IT REALLY YOU!?"

"POWERPUFF GIRLS!"

"BLOSSOM UTONIUM!"

They all looked down. A large crowd had gathered beneath them, oblivious to the fact that they were standing in a fresh crater. More people were running over and pointing up at the trio, shouting the pink puff's name. She flushed with embarrassment.

"Okay, I think it's time to go." She tried to take off but her sisters' caught her.

Buttercup grinned. "Oh no, this is your return you've gotta put in a few words for the people."

Bubbles had a malicious glint in her eyes. "Yeah Blossy, you have to be _respectful_ remember? Prove you're still _deserving of a spot on the team_."

Blossom shook her head and attempted to pull away. "No, no. Miss Bellum is already taking care of tha-"

"Oh no leader girl, you gotta speak for yourself. You're the leader after all."

"Come on Blossy, _show some respect_."

Blossom stiffened at how large the crowd was getting. It had been less than a month but she was nervous. As she had said before, who knew how they would react? She shook her sisters away from her and slowly lowered so that she was a mere few feet above the crowd's heads. She cleared her throat, put her hands on her hips, straightened her back, and took on her commander voice. It was almost too natural at this point.

"People of Townsville, I know I have been away for some time but do not worry, I am safe, I am alive, I am here to continue to protect you as is my duty. The threat today has been dealt with and erased, you are free to return to your day as it was." She glanced at her sisters who motioned for her to go on. She grit her teeth. "I have missed you all dearly and will not leave again. Fear not, Blossom Utonium is here to stay. The Powerpuff girls will uphold their promise to dedicating their lives to fighting crime and the forces of evil!" She raised a proud fist into the air, hoping her words weren't too...well, cringey.

Her lips curved into a relieved grin as the crowd exploded into applause. She returned to her sisters and they smiled at her.

"See, that wasn't so hard was it?" Buttercup teased, fist bumping her.

Blossom chuckled. "I suppose not. Now come on, let's go home."

* * *

Home.

Her room.

Her clothes.

Her bed.

She collapsed onto the pink comforter and inhaled the familiar floral scent with a huge smile. Her phone rested beside her hand, her open laptop sat in front of her face, she could talk to whoever she wanted, go wherever she wanted, she was _free_. The joy, solace, serenity, and utter delight to be here with her sisters, all of them safe, her life back in order, it was almost too much to handle. She rolled onto her back and sat up, pulling the computer into her lap. It was opened to the story she had been writing. She took a moment to go back and read it from the start. She had only just started writing it, so there wasn't much to read, but the bit that was there exposed all of the emotions she had been feeling at the time and it filled the void in her chest. She had been in the same mindset as she was now, grateful for everything she had and completely content with life. The wind slipped through her window and caressed her face, calling her to it. She walked over and rested on the ledge, gazing out at her small neighborhood and the city standing behind it. Spring was in full bloom and the lilac bushes beneath her window were growing taller. Her and her sisters had separated their one room into three smaller sections for themselves. It was divided so that each room had one of the three circular windows in it. Beneath each window, they planted their favorite flowers. Most would think that her preferred flower would be cherry blossoms, but she had instead chosen lilacs because of their delightful scent and durability. Next to her lilac bush was Bubbles' thickets of babies breath. Blossom had been extremely happy that her sister chose those flowers because the combined scent of the two bushes and the white beside the purple was perfect. And then on the end was Buttercup's- wait. She frowned and leaned forward, swinging her legs over the ledge. Where was Buttercup's cherry blossom tree?

_"I saw it while I was out one day." _

No way.

_"They said they followed the...uh...dirt?"_

She slapped her forehead. Of all the stupid things to do...why would Brick take a tree from _her_ _house_ and think that her sisters wouldn't notice? She was going to grind him for it later. It appeared as though they would have to get Buttercup a new tree. Both her and Bubbles and the Professor had been shocked at Buttercup's choice of flowers until she explained that she wanted to make sure that her flowers were a tree because it...er, looked scary at night? Apparently the tree was so tall that it cast shadows into not only her room but Bubbles' as well and she enjoyed terrifying their innocent sister. Maybe now she'd be a bit more mature with her choice and decide on something that didn't keep Bubbles up at night screaming about monsters.

Her door creaked.

"Hey Blossy!"

Blossom spun around and smiled at her beaming sister who walked over to her. Her golden locks gleamed in the sunlight, but were put to shame by her glistening white smile that stretched from ear to ear. Bubbles took Blossom's hand.

"I still can't believe you're actually here. I don't know if I've ever been happier." She reached up and began to play with her sister's copper hair. "I missed being able to braid your hair and pick out your outfits. I missed watching romcoms together with our face masks and robes while Buttercup pouted in the corner. And our rainy day adventures. You know, Buttercup still has that dinosaur costume."

Blossom chuckled. "Let me guess, she's stashed it away with her blanket to try and hide it from us."

Bubbles nodded with a giggle. She always closed her eyes when she laughed. "Yep, but I found it anyways. I know all of her hiding spots from when she used to hide Octi." Her bottom lip popped out in a frown. "I still don't know where she hid him last time, it's been five months. What if she lost him? Or destroyed him?"

Blossom's eyes went wide and she bit her lip, holding back a laugh. Bubbles blinked. "Do you know where is?"

She quickly shook her head. "Nope not a clue."

Bubbles furrowed her brows. "Did you...take him?"

The pink leader shook her head again. "No, never. I would never do that to you dear sister. Me? Hide Octi? Not in my worst nightmare."

"BULLSHIT!" The door slammed open and Buttercup stomped in. She pointed an accusing finger at Bubbles. "I've told you HOW many times that I didn't take your damn stuffed octopus but you wouldn't believe me! Well here's your proof, leader girl clearly hid him."

Bubbles crossed her arms. "Blossom!"

Said puff put her hands up in defense. "I didn't. No way. Not me."

Buttercup strode over, a sly smirk replacing her furious expression. She put her hands on her hips and purred, "But weren't you the one who went upstairs to 'look for something' that night at the party, the same night Octi disappeared?"

Bubbles gasped. "You're right! I remember now. You said that you forgot something in your room so you went upstairs but when you came back down you had nothing with you. So what could you have forgotten? And then the next day I'm searching everywhere for my Octi but he's gone!"

"Coincidence? I think not." Buttercup's smirk only grew as Bubbles leered in Blossom's face.

"You're an Octi-snatcher."

The pink puff couldn't hold it back, she burst into a fit of laughter, rolling off the window and collapsing at Buttercup's feet. Tears built up at the corners of her eyes. "Oh god! Five months! And you only just figured out it was me! Hahaha!"

Bubbles stomped her foot down. "Blossy, that's not funny!"

Buttercup chuckled. "Karmas a bitch eh Bubs?"

The blonde frowned at her sister.

Blossom grinned. "Well I guess it's been long enough. I'll tell you where he is." Bubbles raised an eyebrow expectantly. "He's been eaten."

Her face fell. "WHAT!?"

Buttercup blinked. "Wait what?"

Blossom's grin grew. "Your teddy bear got hungry."

The blonde puff stood still for a moment before she was able to process her sister's words. In a flash of blue, Bubbles disappeared into her room and her sisters followed. She picked up her teddy bear. There was a new seam along it's back which she carefully cut through with a pair of scissors. Pieces of stuffing fell to the ground and Bubbles pulled something out with a gasp. Buttercup's eyes shot open.

"AAAHHH NO FUCKING WAY!" She dropped to the ground and howled with laughter, Blossom joined her. Bubbles clenched her fists, one of them containing Octi. "OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. LEADER GIRL PUT OCTI INSIDE OF YOUR TEDDY BEAR. AHAHAHA HE 'GOT HUNGRY'! OH JESUS THAT'S AWESOME!" The two girls mustered up enough sensibility to high five before rolling into another round of howls.

Bubbles only glared at them. "Jerks!"

Buttercup slapped Blossom's arm, talking through her hysterics. "B-Bloss, you hearing this? Sh-she called us jerks!"

Blossom gasped for air. "N-no I missed that part, I couldn't hear her over the sound of Teddy's stomach!"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" Buttercup threw her head back and clutched her stomach for dear life.

Tears streamed down Blossom's face. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"

Bubbles chucked the teddy bear at them. "You get to fix him!"

"Fix him? How? YOU TOOK AWAY HIS FOOD!" Buttercup called.

Bubbles growled and stormed out as another wave of laughter sent both the girls tumbling.


	15. Chapter 15

Her eyes fluttered open to the sound of sizzling bacon and her heart nearly stopped. She sat up and scanned her surroundings, quickly sighing with relief at the refreshing sight of her home. For a moment she had thought she was back at the ruffs' mansion and this had all been a dream. She looked down at her all-too-real sister as she slept. Buttercup was definitely a deep sleeper, a monster could crush the house and she'd snooze through it. She reached forward and pushed the neck length locks from her sister's face. The peaceful serenity that adorned her face now was so much different from the look she had had whilst laying in the pit. At that time it had been a frozen, empty expression, so unlike her boisterous sister. Now she was breathing, snoring actually, and her skin was a normal hue. Blossom pulled the blankets up to her chin and leaned against the arm of the couch. The three of them had fallen asleep together while watching a trio of movies; romcom for Bubbles, horror for Buttercup, and drama for herself. She was a sucker for intense, psychological films, they made her see things in new perspectives and really exercised her brain, making her feel less guilty for sitting in front of a TV for so long. It had been a night she hadn't realized she'd desperately been longing for. Just a simple time with her family, full of laughter and wholehearted energy. And the delight of waking up to find her sisters safe and sound was inexplicable.

After resting beside her sleeping sister for a while longer, she found herself wandering into the kitchen, lured by a delicious smell. Her mouth watered as she spotted a plate full of strawberry pancakes resting beside a stack of sausage links, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Boomer may have been a good cook, but no one beat Bubbles. The blonde chef spun around and gave her a dazzling smile. Her pigtails were replaced by a slick ponytail and a headband. She was still in her pajamas but wearing an apron and bunny slippers, her typical attire for Sunday mornings.

"Good morning, Blossy!" She was like an actual ray of sunshine, her face gleaming with joy and blonde hair outshining the sun peaking through the window behind her head. Bubbles happiness was contagious.

"Good morning, Bubs." Blossom's eyes went wide at the sight of a fresh, steaming cup of coffee sitting on the table. She reached for it with unparalleled speed and put the drink to her lips. Not only could she not enjoy coffee at the ruffs, seeing as none of them drank the liquid gold, no one knew Bubbles' special recipe, not even Blossom.

"Is BC still sleeping?" Bubbles went back to her cooking, small form bouncing around the kitchen as she worked.

"Yeah, be grateful, now we'll actually have a chance to eat some bacon." Blossom pulled out a chair and a plate was set down in front of her. "You didn't have to-"

Bubbles shook her head with a delighted grin. "It's your first morning back, it has to be special. So I made your favorite pancakes aaaand-" She passed Blossom a small pitcher filled with a cream colored liquid. "-coconut syrup."

Blossom swiped at her mouth, afraid she was actually drooling. Strawberries and coconut, her absolute favorite. Her sister was an angel. "Thank you."

Bubbles winked and returned to the stove. "So now that we have some time...can you tell me a bit about the boys?"

Another row of pancakes were poured onto the griddle and a fresh set of bacon began to sizzle. Blossom picked up her fork. "Well, Butch is a total carbon copy of Buttercup, which shouldn't be surprising considering they're counterparts. He's obsessed with video games and junk food, he's a great listener, and I'm pretty sure one of his hobbies is boxing...he hinted towards it." She tapped her chin. "But he also likes to read. Pretty unusual for Butch, I was shocked at first, but that was one of the first real conversations I had with the boys."

"About books?" Bubbles blinked attentively.

The pancakes tasted as good as they looked. Blossom swallowed. "Yeah, Butch was wondering what I was reading and said he wanted to give it a shot."

Bubbles nodded. "That's kind of sweet. I wouldn't have expected Butch to be the friendliest of the three."

Blossom scoffed. "You're not the only one." She sipped her coffee. "I thought for sure Boomer would be since he's your counterpart." The blonde puff perked up at the mention of her parallel. "He wasn't so nice at first but it was only because he saw me as a threat, just like he was taught to. Once he got to know me and I him, he became just as friendly as Butch but a little more restrained. He's really good with advice...er, unlike Butch. AND-" She pointed her fork towards her sister. "-he can cook."

Bubbles' jaw dropped. "Nuh uh."

Blossom grinned. "I think you've finally found some real competition."

The blonde shook her head. "My counterpart can cook?" She stared off in contemplation, a hint of admiration hidden behind her azure irises. "I might have to be friends with him."

Blossom raised a sly eyebrow. "How come?"

Bubbles whipped around and threw her arms out. "I need to learn his ways! We have to share recipes! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for a cooking partner?" She pressed her hands to her face. "It could be so much fun! But..." Her face saddened. "We still hate each other."

The fork clattered down on the empty plate. Blossom pushed back her chair and reached for her sister with a reassuring hand. "Bubs, the second you two get put in a kitchen together I promise things will go right. Just do like I said; give it a _chance_."

Her sister's bright gaze met her own and she nodded hopefully. "Okay, I will. I already promised you I would."

Blossom squeezed her shoulder. "It's not going to be easy for any of us, but we'll make it through. We always do."

Bubbles smiled and then a thick smell wafted through their noses and they both grimaced.

_BEEEEEEEEEEP_

Bubbles squealed and Blossom jumped nearly a foot off the ground. They both whipped around and found a tall flame encasing the bacon skillet. Bubbles grabbed a glass and filled it with water then turned to throw it onto the fire.

"NO!" Blossom slapped her hand over the cup. She looked at her flustered sister. "You can't put water on a grease fire."

Bubbles paled. "Oh my god, I'm sorry. I just panicked and-and I-"

Blossom shushed her. "Bubs, it's fine. I'll handle it ok-?"

"What in the FUCK is GOING ON!?" Buttercup stormed into the kitchen, sporting a sea-urchin hairstyle from her disturbed sleep.

"I got distracted and the bacon caught on fire!" Bubbles explained.

"Distracted? WHAT COULD POSSIBLY DISTRACT YOU FROM BACON!?"

Blossom moved the pancake griddle away from the stove along with the eggs. She gently blew on the flames, quickly killing the fire with her ice breath. She picked up the cooled skillet and tilted it. A pile of ashes gathered.

"I hope this wasn't all the bacon." She stated.

Bubbles sobbed. "It was!"

Buttercup growled and punched the still beeping smoke detector. The broken plastic fell to the floor. "DAMN IT! MY BACON! WHAT THE FUCK!"

Blossom sighed. "Calm down, I'll go to the store and get some more."

Bubbles bent her head. "I'm sorry, Blossom."

The pink puff waved away the apology. "Don't be. I gotta change and then I'll go. Anything else you guys need?"

Buttercup hopped back onto the couch. "Yeah, a fucking Red Bull."

Blossom rolled her eyes. Her sister's profanity in the morning was horrid, as was her temper. "Go back to sleep."

The green puff shrugged. "As the leader commands." And did as told, burying herself beneath the blankets.

* * *

It took her no time at all to retrieve the bacon but as she was walking out of the supermarket doors, she glanced to the west side of town. The tips of trees could just be seen over the buildings, thanks to the upward slope that the forest outskirts rested on. She looked at the sun. It was still early and knowing Buttercup, she'd sleep in for another two hours, so the bacon could wait just a few minutes. She grinned and took off.

Now that her return had been published in the newspapers and spread across all the social media networks, she'd be able to find out whether the city would welcome her back or not. Of course, she was going to continue leading her sisters regardless of the citizens' opinion, but she still needed to know where her place was among them. Once that was figured out and she'd turned in her work permit and other papers, she would be able to focus on other priorities. The biggest one being the ruffs. They had found a house, all they needed to do was get approval from the mayor and make a down payment. Once the ruffs became legal heroes, they would start earning money and be able to pay for the house themselves. Blossom would continue to help them and train them until Brick could take over. Who knows, maybe in the end they could all be friends. The thought still made Blossom laugh.

She swept over the tall pines and oaks, dipping lower and lower the closer she got to the mansion. She still couldn't believe how naive she had been in the beginning. Brick had said to her that she might not be in Townsville, and of course she believed him. Obviously she knew there were woods near the city, she just didn't expect to find a mansion in the middle of them. In her defense, the mansion was pretty far out, buried deep in the trees, a perfect spot for the ruffs to hide. But now they were going to start living out in the open. Blossom's heart fluttered at the thought of Brick living just across the street from her. The possibility of living with her sisters while her ruff was just a step away would've been a joke to her before, now it was a beautiful reality.

The mansion was still cast in a sheet of shadows as the dawn light remained hidden behind the trees, but the ethereal glow of the chandeliers inside told her that someone was awake. She floated to the door and knocked lightly.

"Get the door!" A growl from inside shook the frame.

"Calm down, I am!" Something crashed to the ground.

"I'll calm down when you start listening to me!"

"WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE I'M DOING!?" She flinched.

"I'm talking about the lesson, you didn't listen to a god damn word!"

It sounded like glass hit the floor this time. "Maybe you should learn to be less boring! Take some tips from Pinky when you see her, eh!?"

"FUCK O-"

The door slammed open and a vase shattered against the wall beside Butch's head. She blinked and he slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Oh shit, Bloss, uhhh that wasn't-"

Brick was suddenly at the door with wide eyes. "Pinky!? The hell are you doing here?"

She folded her arms behind her back. "Well I had to run an errand and was in the area so I decided to stop by. Can I come in?"

Brick hesitated with his mouth agape. Butch swatted his arm and he snapped out of it. "Uh yeah, yeah sure." He held the door for her and gestured to Butch, who shot away at an alarming speed. She wandered in and caught sight of the suit cases and boxes stacked up beside the stairs.

"You guys already packed?" She questioned.

He nodded and quickly folded one of the still open boxes shut. It was labeled 'Brick's ONLY' in red block letters. "Oh wow, you have perfect handwriting..." She glanced at the other boxes, some marked with green or blue, but the red always had the best penmanship. "Kind of like a computer."

Brick wasn't paying any attention to her words. "This is pretty much everything. Boomer just needs to grab a few more clothes and Butch still has to organize his box of video games. Other then that though, we're set." He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "So how did things go with the mayor?"

She frowned, turning away from the boxes. "It could have been better. The governor certainly wasn't happy to see me...but she's never been too keen with us superheroes, it's the rest of the governments' votes that keep our rights stable. If she had the ultimate say we'd be doo-" She caught his weary look and changed her tone. "She's not my favorite governor, but there's nothing she can do about us, she needs us...Mrs. Bellum had a few papers for me, heroes now have to fill out work permits, so you guys will have to do that. The mayor was...well...too intrigued by his pickles to really notice anything. The meeting got cut short, my sisters and I had to stop a monster attack. Now everyone knows I'm back, I'm just waiting to see if they _want_ me back."

He nodded along but before he could say anything, Butch reappeared, looking slightly flustered. "Sorry about that, Bloss. I thought you were the UPS guy."

She raised an eyebrow. "UPS? Out here in the middle of nowhere?"

Brick rolled his eyes. "Yeah, Butch has to have all of the newest video games."

Butch scowled. "Don't act like it's a hassle for you, it ain't your money, I always use stolen credit ca-"

"Butch, _shut up_." Brick sneered through his teeth.

Blossom crossed her arms and addressed the green ruff. "And when was the last time you used one of those credit cards?"

Butch glanced between the two reds, contemplating which death glare was more terrifying. He chose to try to appease both. "I...er...don't remember?"

Brick gave his brother an approving look that Blossom couldn't see. Said puff narrowed her eyes and directed her glare on Brick. "I'll ask you then. When was the last time one of these credit cards was used?"

The red ruff crossed his arms and towered over her. "None of your business."

She grabbed him by the scuff of his shirt and yanked him down to her level with an aggressive sneer, taking both ruffs for surprise. "It is my business now that you three plan to become heroes in _my_ city and live in a house that _I_ am mostly paying for."

Butch backed up.

Brick paused. "Um...I don't remember...either?"

Her hand was brought back and then struck cleanly across Brick's face with a loud SLAP. He stumbled away, holding his cheek with a bewildered jaw drop, she caught him and pulled him right back down. "Try again." She hissed.

Both ruffs' eyes were wide, one with shock, one with terror.

"Bro just tell her." Butch muttered.

Brick stared into his counterpart's furious eyes. He choked on his words. "Last. Week."

This time he saw stars and had to grab hold of the stair railings. A growl escaped her throat, "Are you telling the truth?"

Brick gripped the railings for dear life. "Y-yeah."

And then she smiled at him, anger completely erased from her expression, which horrified both ruffs. "That's payback for everything you did to me and for not telling me about this sooner. Now Butch..." She set her gaze on the green ruff who was already trembling, despite her softened glare. "Would you please get the cards for me." He began stepping away slowly. "_AND I WANT ALL OF THEM_." She roared, startling the ruff and causing him to bolt away in a flash of green. She turned to Brick, who was staring at her with open eyes and a pale face.

"Are you feeling alright?" He breathed.

She smiled again. "I'm fine. But you better get used to following my orders if you want to become heroes. When I ask a question, you answer it the first time and you _never_ lie to me. Got it?"

His pride winced as he nodded.

She beamed. "Good."

* * *

The credit cards were cut up and tossed away and the order that Butch had recently placed was canceled. Blossom considered returning the cards to their owners and trying to make up for their stolen money but...she already had so much on her plate at the moment and didn't need the boys being thrown in jail for theft right now. So as much as it hurt her hero status, she decided to simply destroy the evidence.

"Imagine if you worked everyday for eight hours, receiving only minimum wage, barely surviving, and then someone steals your card. You go bankrupt, causing you to lose your home and your job, now you're living on the streets because some asshole teenager wanted to buy the latest version of Call of Duty. Does that sound pleasant?" She met each of the boys' eyes as they shook their heads. "Right. So we don't do that. No stealing of any kind. _Especially_ credit cards. The amount of trouble that'll get you into is..." She scoffed and shook her own head. "Let's just say it's not fun." She folded her arms. "I'm going to give you a punishment for this. Brick already got his slap in the face, so now Butch-" She eyed him up and he practically cowered beneath her gaze. "You get to carry every single one of those boxes and suitcases to your new house when the time comes, plus you get to make sure this place looks spotless after you leave."

Butch threw himself back in his seat with a loud groan. "Noooooooo!" The chair lost balance from his weight and he fell to the floor roughly, where he simply sprawled out and moaned a line of curses.

She faced Boomer and he paled. "But I didn't lie to-!"

She put a hand up to silence him. "Boomer, you get to spend a day cooking with my sister."

Everyone froze, even Butch who was in the middle of a temper tantrum. Boomer blinked slowly. "Wait...WHAT!?"

Brick cocked his head to the side. "Pinky, are you sure this isn't moving a little too fa-"

"It's hard to believe and it's going to be hard to achieve, but in order for things to work out, the puffs and ruffs need to find a middle ground. This is the perfect opportunity. My sister is an amazing chef and the second I told her that you cook, she was ecstatic. Neither me nor Buttercup can cook for shit, Butch can't boil water-"

"Hey!"

"-And Brick doesn't _enjoy_ cooking like you and Bubbles do, Boomer." She acknowledged the blue ruff who was frowning in thought. "You two could connect through that. I know you've only ever thought of her as your enemy, but like I said, we all have to get along at some point."

"Could work." Brick considered.

Blossom hopped out of her chair. "It will work if they both put in effort, which I know they will. But Boomer," She caught the blonde boy's attention. "You have to let go of that fear that we're going to hurt you. My sister is not going to lay a hand on you...neither of my sisters are. If you continue to feel threatened then you'll never make a connection. You can't be friends with someone you fear."

Butch shrugged. "That's true. But do we really have to be _friends_ with them?"

"Enemies or friends, there is no in between, just like we are either villains or heroes. It's one or the other." Brick surprisingly spoke for her.

Blossom grinned. "Exactly."

Boomer let out a sigh. "Fine. But it's going to be so...awkward."

"Maybe, but you'll get over it." Blossom stated nonchalantly, knowing that her sister had a talent of making anyone and everyone feel comfortable. Boomer had nothing to worry about.

She grabbed Brick's hand and waved a goodbye to the boys. "Hopefully the next time we see each other, I'll have the mayor's approval for the house. See ya."

They waved their respectful farewells and Blossom pulled Brick outside the door, which she closed behind them.

"How much longer do you think?" He asked as soon at they were out of earshot.

She gave him a mocking glare and spoke in a gruff voice. "You don't get to ask questions."

He rolled his eyes at her impersonation of himself. "Ha. Ha. Very funny."

She chuckled. "I'm not sure, Mrs. Bellum already made a complete report of my return. She should have a vague idea of how people are taking it by this evening. I'll fill out the papers as soon as I get home and turn them in when I get the news. So by tomorrow at the earliest I can start talking to the mayor about you guys. If things go right, then we'll be able to move you guys into the house by Thursday."

He sighed. "That's five days away still...damn it."

She cocked an eyebrow. "What're you in such a hurry for?"

His eyes narrowed dangerously and he tilted her chin up with his finger. "You."

She giggled as he brought her hand to his lips. "You know PDA isn't allowed once you're a hero."

His eyes sparkled. "Well then you'll just have to hang out with me more to make up for it."

She shrugged. "In five days, sure."

He sighed again, this time heavier, making her laugh.

"You know, I don't need another impatient hot head on my team." She teased.

He played with a piece of her hair. "I'm sorry that I was born this way."

She took a turn to roll her eyes before taking his hand from her hair and placing it against her cheek, leaning into it. Her pink eyes shimmered up at him and he melted. "You were born perfect, my little Bricky."

He grimaced. "Ew, don't call me that."

She smirked and wrapped her arms around his neck to give him a final hug. He lifted her off the ground and squeezed her against his chest, forcing a giggle out of her.

"Well, I'll see you when I see you I guess." He said as he set her back on her feet.

She nodded but paused before leaving, casting her gaze downward. Brick frowned.

"Pinky?"

She bit her lip and looked up at him guiltily. "There's uh...something I've been meaning to tell you." Her eyes flitted away as she considered her thoughts. She was wringing her hands nervously. "Ever since my sisters and I reunited...we haven't talked much about _us_. And I know we were going to sort things out later but this needs to be said now." She glanced over her shoulder. The sun just barely peaked over the tree tops and when she turned back to Brick, she saw it reflect in his crimson irises. She would have to make this quick, the bacon could go bad. "I didn't take that time away from you to think about my sisters...I did it to get my mind off of _you_."

He winced. "Really?"

A nod. "Ever since that day at the tree, the same day you saved me from Mojo, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I couldn't figure out how I felt. Did I reciprocate the same feelings you held for me? Or did I still see you as an enemy?" The hurt look on his face stabbed her in the gut. She quickly got to the point. "No matter what I did, you wouldn't abandon my thoughts. I was...obsessed it seems. And now I know why." She tugged on the hem of her shirt. Brick moved to hold her hand but thought otherwise and crossed his arms instead. Her face was red with embarrassment and her throat tightened. Now she understood why it was so hard for Brick. This could change everything. Her feelings for him could get in the way. His feelings for her could end up hurting him. What would her sisters think? What would the Professor think? She closed her eyes, her father would approve of her decisions regardless of the consequences because he had full faith in her judgment. Her sisters would be defensive and possibly angry about the situation, but would initially come to terms with it, as they always did. She clenched her fists, one still knotted in her shirt, and sighed,"It's because...I-I love you too."

He winced even harder, but the look of pain on his face was replaced with shock. "You mean that?"

She met his gaze, chest swelling with fear. Why this was so embarrassing for her, she didn't know. What she did know was that she wanted to leave and hide her burning cheeks as soon as possible. She gripped the bag in her hand tightly. "Yeah..."

"You have no fucking idea how relieved I am to hear that." He muttered, sweeping a hand across his brow.

She blinked. "Relieved?"

He looked at her with wide eyes. "Pinky, do you have any idea how horrifying it was to admit my feelings to you? I'm pretty sure my ego was bruised for an entire week afterwards. I _hate_ talking about emotions and that shit scared me, like genuinely scared me. I thought I had been rejected and I'm pretty sure I would've buried myself alive out of embarrassment. Wait...fuck, I'm talking about feelings again. I probably sound like an idiot." He slapped his hand against his forehead. She grinned.

"No, I feel the exact same way. Do you not see my face right now?" She asked, pointing to her red skin, which earned a laugh from him. "I have never EVER liked anyone before. I've never been in anything close to a relationship. I've never even danced with a guy at homecoming...even Buttercup danced with someone!" Another laugh. She shook her head. "I get it, I do. Feelings make us vulnerable and as leaders we can't afford to be weak. But honestly, we've been making each other stronger nowadays, so I don't see a problem." She bit her cheek. "Even your brothers ship it."

He pulled a face. "Ugh, of course they do."

She smiled shyly and crossed her hands. "I have to apologize though. I'm sorry that it took so long. I didn't mean to make you feel rejected because I know how hard showing your feelings was. I should have been honest with you from the start. I'm sorry, Br-"

"If you say sorry one more time I'm gonna kick you off my property." He cut her off. She raised an eyebrow at him and he smirked. "I think you should get that bacon home before your 'impatient, hot headed' sister has a fit."

She frowned. "How did you-?"

"Butch is the same way. One hour without bacon and he's torn apart half of the house."

Blossom chuckled. "Getting those two to see eye-to-eye is going to be a hell of a challenge." She sighed, the sun was now glowing on his face, it was time to go. "I hope it won't be too much longer."

He nodded. "Me too." He gave her a smile. "See ya later babe."

She smirked and leaned up, pressing a kiss against his cheek. The blush never failed. She backed away with a taunting twinkle in her eyes. "Bye, Bricky poo."

Then she bolted off into the sunrise, giggling at the shout that followed after her.

"DAMN IT PINKY!"


	16. Chapter 16

"What...the fuck."

Lime green and baby blue eyes were challenged by forest green and navy blue glares. Both sides stood as still as possible, never looking away from their counterparts. Buttercup wanted to wipe the greasy half-lipped smirk of the asshole's stupid face. Bubbles wanted to retreat back to her bedroom and hide away from the vicious 'ex-villains' now standing in her house. Butch was utterly amused by his counterpart's disgust but also somewhat confused as to whether he should feel hatred or indifference towards her. Boomer was ready to leave.

Blossom bit her lip and turned to Brick. "Should we do something?"

He gave her a one armed shrug. "Maybe we should let them figure shit out on their own."

"We can hear you." Both greens shot deadly glares at each other after speaking at the same time.

The boys had officially claimed their new house across the street from the puffs yesterday. It had taken a lot of persuading and arguing, but Blossom had worked her magic and gotten the mayor and Bellum to approve of the boys' 'second chance'. From now on, they were required to attend town meetings, with one of the puffs accompanying them, in order to educate them in the ways of the law. The puffs would have to provide a report on the boys' behavior each week, which would keep them in check. And they would have to perform 168 hours of community service that didn't include hero work. Since they were now accepted by the mayor, Blossom decided it would be best to try and reintroduce the two trios. So far, it wasn't going too well...

Her sisters were standing close together, as far from the ruffs as possible.

"I don't like this..." Bubbles whimpered, averting her gaze.

Buttercup shook her head, never breaking her glare at Butch. "I don't either Bubs, but we promised Bloss that we would at least try and-"

Boomer cleared his throat. "So you, uh, you...cook?"

Both girls stared at the blue ruff.

Bubbles pointed at herself. "M-me?"

He crossed his arms, squeezing his fingers around his slim biceps to quench his nerves. "Yeah..."

She nodded slowly, shifting her eyes. "Yeah, I cook...do you?"

He only nodded, also looking away. An awkward silence passed over the group.

Brick whispered into Blossom's ear. "Maybe we should give them space? As in not standing here staring at them?"

She met his dismayed look. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

He took her hand. "We'll just stand in the kitchen, only a few feet away but out of sight, okay?"

She hesitated but ultimately nodded and they retreated to the other room. Blossom hopped onto the counter and Brick went to her side, pushing open the window next to her head to divert the silence. A warm breeze swept her hair into his face and she chuckled, pulling it into a ponytail. "Sorry." He removed a strand from his face and helped her tuck it back with a smirk.

"I'm glad I didn't leave my hair that long. Man, that was hell to handle." He said as he tightened his own low ponytail, his being much, much shorter.

She brushed the stray pieces from his face. "At least now you brush it."

His lips turned downwards. "I did before."

Her eyebrows rose and she shook her head. "That's kind of terrifying then."

He opened his mouth to respond when there was a shatter in the living room. Brick moved but Blossom caught him with a hand to his chest. "Just look through the wall."

They did just that, using their x-ray vision to see what was happening with their siblings.

Butch was on the ground trying to scoop up a pile of glass while Bubbles was waving her hands frantically, telling him to leave it, and Buttercup was actually snickering, albeit a sadistic snicker.

"Shit, my bad. I didn't know there was a table there." The green ruff grumbled nervously, still gathering the shards into his hands.

"Butch, please don't do that!" Bubbles pleaded but to no avail.

"I made a mess, gotta clean it up." He responded.

Boomer grimaced. "Bro, at least put gloves on or something."

Bubbles nodded. "Y-yeah I'll go get some, okay? Just stop doing that you're going to get hurt!"

Butch grudgingly leaned back on his heels and stopped picking up the glass. Bubbles quickly disappeared from the scene, Blossom assumed into the lab, and Buttercup suddenly realized that she was alone with two ruffs. Her sister immediately halted her laughter and tensed. Butch grinned up at her sheepishly.

"What's...up?"

Buttercup's back was turned to Blossom but she saw her fingers curl and uncurl, something she did when she was scared. Blossom's chest tightened at that. She didn't want to imagine how horrible it must be for her sisters to have to face their murderers. The anger of what had been done to them and their leader. The embarrassment of their weaknesses being revealed and having lost. The confusion and mixed feelings being forced upon them by Blossom's sudden alliance with the boys. Maybe Brick was right, maybe they were moving too fast.

"The ceiling...dumbass." Buttercup's words came out slow and hesitant, but at least she was trying to lighten up the tension.

Butch snorted at that and even Boomer's face softened. Bubbles returned and handed Butch the Professor's old pair of rubber utility gloves.

"Cool, t-thanks." Butch stuttered as he slid the gloves on and gathered up the glass. Buttercup brought over the garbage can and the mess was disposed of. "So was that an important vase...or what?"

Buttercup folded her arms. "An important vase? It was for holding fucking flowers, we have like a hundred more."

Bubbles elbowed her sister with a scolding glare. "Buttercup, don't swear."

She threw a look at her shorter sister. "It's fine, Bubbles."

"No it's not."

"Stop it."

"I will when you stop swearing."

"They're ruffs."

The blonde narrowed her eyes. "They're guests!"

The green puff threw her arms up at the blonde. "You think they're sensitive to the word fuck?!"

Bubbles stomped her foot. "It's called good manners!"

"They're our enemies we don't have to-!"

"_Buttercup!_"

"What!?"

"You're being rude, stop it!"

"I AM NOT BEING RUDE!" Her face was growing red.

"Yes you are, they're standing right there and you're talking down on them!"

"What the fuck do you expect? You think I'm going to welcome them with open arms? THEY FUCKING KILLED US GOD DAMN IT!" The minute the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She slapped a hand over her mouth. Bubbles gasped. Butch paled. Boomer took a step towards the door. Blossom bit her cheek.

"It had to come out eventually..." Brick murmured.

Buttercup took a step back. "I-" She couldn't speak, her voice was shaking. When she turned around, her face was beat red and she retreated upstairs. Bubbles hesitated, glancing at the two boys.

"It-it was nice...seeing-?" She couldn't even force the words out. Her hands trembled and she hurried after her sister. Butch got up from the ground and looked to Boomer, both boys' eyes were huge.

Brick glanced at Blossom who gave him a nod. "Boys get in here." His call immediately brought the two ruffs into the kitchen.

"Bro, I'm sorry I didn't mean to break that vase and cause her to-!"

"Butch, it's fine." Blossom spoke softly. "It wasn't your fault. As I've said many times before and will continue to remind you; this is going to take time. We've all been arch enemies since...well, forever. We won't become besties in one day."

Butch sighed, rubbing his arm guiltily. "Okay..."

_BOOM_

_CRACK_

All four teens jumped at the sudden roar of thunder. A blinding white flash of lightning followed it, striking the air right beside the window. Sobbing echoed from upstairs instantaneously. Blossom winced and returned to the ground, she gave the repentant boys a weary glance.

"I'll be right back."

* * *

She found her sisters in Buttercup's room, a sobbing Bubbles face planted in the bed. Buttercup sat beside her, delicately rubbing the girl's convulsing back, looking just as distraught. Blossom's face fell into a compunctious frown and she moved over to rest on Bubbles' unoccupied side, placing a hand on her arm. A pair of moist blue eyes blinked up at her. Blossom saw the stray look in her irises, masked by a layer of pain and betrayal.

"W-why? I don't understand why we have to ta-talk to them." Bubbles mewled, more tears trickling over her flushed cheeks.

Buttercup looked up at Blossom with the same hurt flicker of deceit.

Blossom let her hand fall away, suddenly feeling out of place. "Because, girls, theres no other place for the boys, you know that. The government doesn't allow super-beings to live as citizens. It's hero or villain, no in between, not in this day and age." She shifted her anxious fingers to her own arm and rubbed the skin nervously. "They've been villains their whole lives and the town knows that. If they reappear as heroes then they have a chance at redemption and proving their worth. And how can they be heroes in this town if we're still enemies with them? The half of the government that's still anti-supers will see that as an opening and you remember what the governor tried to do us, don't you?" She didn't wait for a response. "But she's not the only problem. Every time we go out on patrol, we're going to run into them. Every time there's a town meeting, we'll have to be near them. Every time we face a large threat, we'll have to work with them. There's no avoiding the boys, not from this point on."

"Then why can't they go to a different fucking town?! A different city? Better yet, a different COUNTRY!?" Buttercup got to her feet, pounding her fist into the wall.

"_Buttercup!_" Blossom got to her feet as well. "Knock it off! We need to maintain some sense of maturity right now!"

The green puff whirled on her sister, eyes blazing. "Maturity!? THEY KILLED US! THEY FUCKING KILLED US AND NOW YOU WANT US TO _GET ALONG_!?" She stepped towards her and Blossom tried to hold her ground. "I understand, Blossom, I fucking do. I know that you and leader boy are together or some shit."

Her eyes went wide. "Y-you do?"

Buttercup scoffed. "Please. You think I don't know my own damn sister?" She shook her head. "Of course you don't, because those guys are _poisoning your mind_. They're fucking changing you, Blossom, do you not see that? Of course you want to give them a second chance! Because they brainwashed you into becoming their friend. Now they've got you wrapped around their fingers and once we befriend them too, they'll have access to all of our weaknesses and just like that BOOM! Powerpuffs no more!" She threw her arms up. "This is all BULLSHIT, Bloss! Being friends with the guys that have been trying to kill us since they were fucking _created_? What could have possibly changed so much within a few mere weeks? How could that have been long enough to change your mind on them? I'm not buying it. Not at all. I thought about it long and hard, I did what you asked me to do. I gave it thought and now I've made up my mind; I will never EVER allow those pieces of shit anywhere near this town and it's citizens. Those guys can either get out of town or get shipped to the same dump their father is in; JAIL!"

"No." Blossom's gaze hardened. "It's not time that tells a person's story, Buttercup, nor what lies beneath the skin. One single moment can reveal everything. One moment of truth, that's all it takes. And that's all it took for me to know that they were good, that they _are_ good, underneath their villain masks, they are good."

Buttercup clenched her fists. "One moment of truth? What moment could have possibly persuaded you to believe that those monsters weren't just cold, hearted villains! The same villains that killed your sisters!"

"We killed them, too." Blossom stated.

"Only because they tried to-!"

"Brick." The pink puff interrupted.

Buttercup frowned. "What?"

Blossom looked her sister in the eye. "Brick almost died because of me and in his last few moments of life, I saw Butch and Boomer's hard facades shatter. In that instant, they were only boys, falling apart at the idea that their brother was dead. I saw myself in them. The same as when I was kneeling over you two-" She glanced at Bubbles. The blonde puff flinched. "-They're no different from us. We were once hated by everyone because we did bad things. Sure, we didn't know that they were bad, but I'll remind you again; they were raised in an upside down world. They've killed us, we've killed them. And we can continue that way. We can continue to break each other down, because that's exactly what everyone else wants us to do. That's what Mojo wants. What Him wanted. They want to make an example out of us, us, CHILDREN, and show the world that the law over shines our humanity. We can keep going that way, or we can remember what the Professor told us."

Bubbles cast her eyes downward, Buttercup bit her cheek and looked away. Blossom folded her arms and moved over to the window to gaze out at the city they had sworn to protect at all times, no matter the cost. She remembered the promises they had made to not only the people, but the Professor, "Unfortunately, people often get scared or angry when they don't understand something special and unique." She closed her eyes, imagining that her father was once again standing beside her, reciting his words of wisdom, comforting his lost daughters. "Don't harm an insect just because it's yucky on the outside-"

"It's the insect inside that counts." Her sisters finished for her.

"We're the Powerpuff girls, this worlds only hope for survival should there come a day that they have to face something greater than themselves. We're the ones who nurture the prosperity rooted within this society. We feed the people hope, we keep them safe, we do what we can because that is our purpose. Our father created us to transform this world into something _better._ When we were born, he was the one who taught us that it's not easy to see something that's never been before. It was difficult for people to grasp the idea of peace. Until we gave them a taste of it. Now here we are, fighting to maintain that same tranquility in a new light. Instead of erasing the threat, we're trying to turn it into an ally. It's something new, something we're unaccustomed to. But as heroes, it is our duty to adjust and adapt to whatever circumstances we may find ourselves in, in order to protect those we swore our lives to. This is no exception. The boys are a threat as villains. They have no other place besides heroes and without our help, they may just become an enemy again. Once they become heroes, they become a part of this city, and anyone who belongs to this city must be protected by us, regardless of who they are, they become our responsibility." She rested her palms on the window sill and leaned forward. The drizzle outside misted her face. "We never had a choice in the matter, but then again, does anyone really have a choice in anything? Destiny. That's what this is. We were destined to be the heroes of this world and so we will be, until our days expire. We will do whatever we have to in order to protect this world, even if that means conforming with the ruffs. You may not like it. I know that many won't. But it's whats best...for everyone." She glanced over her shoulder. "Do you understand?"

Hesitantly, both of her sisters met her gaze and nodded.

She walked back over to them and softened her tone. "Do you girls want to come back down or do this a different day?"

Bubbles swiped at her eyes, rubbing away the last of her tears. She pushed herself off the bed, gathering what courage she could, and in that moment, she looked like a true hero; ready to face whatever threat might lie ahead, no matter her feelings, knowing her sworn duty. Buttercup was quick to follow, replacing the look of rage for one of pride.

Bubbles spoke first. "The sooner we do this, the sooner the city will be safe."

Buttercup went to the door and threw it open, shooting a look at Blossom. "And the sooner we make amends, the sooner they'll be out of my damn house."

Blossom grinned and followed her sisters back downstairs.


	17. Chapter 17

It was adorable. Utterly and wholeheartedly adorable.

"You know how to make bouillabaisse?" Bubbles questioned, a look of astonishment lighting up her face as she admired Boomer's cooking skills.

His cheeks flushed ever so slightly and he tried to hide it by pretending to need another spoon and bending down to dig through the drawer. "Yeah, I haven't made it in a while though because my brothers don't like it."

She leaned over the stock pot and sniffed the wonderful aromas. "Well it smells a-mazing."

Boomer wiped away a smile and returned with a second wooden spoon which he used to stir the broth. "You're good with desserts, right?"

She nodded, rocking back on her heels to give him space. "I think I'm going to make chocolate soufflé tonight...or maybe creme brulee...or something more elaborate like a croquembouche...or a baked Alaska, that's supposed to be difficult."

Boomer's eyes went wide. "_Supposed_ to be?! That shits near impossible. I tried to make it once cuz Butch fucking loves ice cream-" He noticed her frown. "Er...Butch loves ice cream but when I put it in the oven, everything went to crap. The ice cream started melting and so the meringue fell off and everything turned to liquid. It was a mess and I followed the instructions exactly."

Bubbles giggled. "Probs a bad recipe. I guess I'll have to teach you the right way to do it then. Baked Alaska it is." She excitedly brought him over to the counter and began the dessert, the blue ruff taking on the same look of astonishment at his counterpart's talent.

Blossom threw Brick a knowing smirk. "Didn't I tell you this would work?"

He crossed his arms. "Excuse me? I agreed with you."

She chuckled and took his hand, pulling him to his feet. "I think it's time we stop watching them like hawks. The cuteness is overwhelming."

He sidled up next to her as they walked into the backyard. "Now we just have to deal with the greens..." He grimaced. "That's not going to be pretty."

She swatted his arm. "Just because they're impulsive, have a bit of a temper, prefer violence over peace, and tend to rip each other to shreds whenever they fight doesn't mean theres not still hope." She stated matter-of-factly.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, say that to me again in 50 years and I just might doubt it a tiny bit less."

Blossom was about to give a snarky response when Buttercup stepped in front of her.

"Hey Bloss." She flashed her a suspiciously bright smile.

The pink puff raised an eyebrow. "Hi?"

Buttercup crossed her arms behind her back, sporting a devious look. "Soooo, seeing as Bubbles and the other blue one are preoccupied with making friends, and the other ruffs need to start settling into their new house, I thought this would be the perfect time for us to catch up and go to the arena."

Blossom blinked. "The arena? We haven't gone there in-"

"It's only been three months." Buttercup stated quickly.

Brick frowned. "Arena?"

The red haired puff's eyes went wide and she turned pink. "It's nothing, don't worry about it." She bit her lip, turning her face to her sister. "But Buttercup...what if something happens with Bubbles and Boomer?"

Buttercup was unamused. "Like what?"

"Pinky, Butch and I are right across the street."

Blossom subtly kicked her counterpart and glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Exactly, and this could be the perfect chance for them to prove they're responsible enough to handle being heroes." Buttercup added.

Blossom pinched her nose. "Ugh, fine. But only for a few hours, okay?"

Buttercup shrugged. "Whatever you say, leader girl." She disappeared into the house and Brick looked at his counterpart with an arched brow.

"Wanna explain?" He asked.

She shook her head. "It's none of your concern. Now go home and start unpacking and _do not_ let your brother mess this up." She growled, giving him a stern glare.

He didn't budge. "I wanna know what this arena is."

She scoffed and whipped around, making her way into the house. Brick chased after her.

"_Pinky."_

"No."

"Tell me." His voice took on a low tone.

The blues were still busy in the kitchen when they walked in and Blossom took it as a perfect opportunity to avoid the stubborn red ruff behind her. "Hey Bubs, Boomer, how is it going?"

Two blonde heads spun around in cue.

A smile stretched across Bubbles' face. "Great! I'm teaching Boomer how to make a baked Alaska." She tilted her head to the side, pigtails following. "How come Buttercup came in here and flew up to her room so fast?"

Brick leaned forward so that he was speaking into her ear. "Yeah, why is that Pinky? What is she so excited about?"

Blossom grit her teeth. "We're going out for a bit. Is that okay?"

Bubbles nodded, a little too quickly. "Yes! Go ahead. We'll be fine. Is Brick going with you?"

Blossom's face changed color again. "NO! No he is not."

The blondes blinked in confusion and Brick crossed his arms. "What are you hiding?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Nothing. Stop digging."

He leered over her. "I'll stop digging when you stop lying."

"I'm not lying, I'm simply not telling you anything." She countered.

His jaw clenched.

"Leader girl let's go!" Buttercup's call echoed from the living room, just in time. She turned on her heel and hurried upstairs, stuffing some clothes into a bag before joining her sister at the door.

"See you guys later!" Blossom shouted to the blues then flashed a victorious smirk at Brick before slamming the door shut.

* * *

Sweat slid from her face in hot streams, coating her neck and chest. She was breathing heavily and could feel her sides aching from the exertion. She prepared herself as Buttercup leapt from the top ropes. Blossom was forced to catch her, before slamming her into a belly-to-belly suplex. She then attempted a submission hold but Buttercup grabbed her wrists and set her soles into Blossom's stomach, rolling backwards and throwing the pink puff to the ground. Blossom got to her knees just in time to catch Buttercup's leg and twist her into a heel hook. The green puff grit her teeth but didn't submit. Blossom released her and while her sister was still sitting up, she sent a sharp roundhouse kick directly into Buttercup's face. There was an audible sound as her shoes connected with her sister's jaw and the green puff fell onto her back.

"God damnit why do you have to have such long legs?" Buttercup growled as she rubbed her injury.

Blossom chuckled, wiping the sweat from her brow. "And why do you have to be so strong?"

Buttercup grinned and returned to her feet. "Short vs tall. Strength vs flexibility." She threw a punch at Blossom, who dodged, before kicking her leg out at the pink puff, who jumped over the attack. "Who will win?"

Blossom avoided another punch by ducking under Buttercup's arm. She ran to the ropes, hopped up onto the second ones, before jumping off and pulling Buttercup into a tornado DDT. The move knocked the wind out of the brunette and Blossom took the opportunity to get to the top ropes and come down onto Buttercup's neck with a leg drop. The puff was groaning in pain. Blossom caught her wrist and twisted her arm, preparing to put her into an arm bar hold but Buttercup instead used her other arm to grab onto Blossom's before wrapping her legs around the pink puff's waist and pulling her into a kimura hold. Blossom gasped as pain shot through her shoulder and she almost tapped out. Fortunately, she was able to squirm out of Buttercup's grasp before giving in.

"You've still got it, leader girl." Buttercup brushed off her pants, a bright glee of excitement in her emerald eyes.

'Leader girl' shook out her sore arms and leaned back into the ropes with a satisfied smirk. "So do you, we both haven't wrestled in three months."

Buttercup scoffed. "Wrong, I still came here at least three times a week and then everyday after you...'died'." The word fell out of her mouth like poison and she grimaced.

Blossom pushed off the ropes. "Alright, come on. Less talk, more wrestling."

The green puff hesitated, casting her lidded gaze to the side. Her voice took on a serious tone. "Do you ever wonder what would happen if one of us actually did die?"

"Buttercup..." Blossom began, dropping her arms from her fighting stance.

"No, I know it's depressing to think about but...I get worried sometimes. I still feel like I could lose you at any moment and I don't want to feel that pain again, that empty, hollow, endless pain." She placed her hand over her heart, as though the ache had returned, and looked up to her sister. "Bloss, what was it like when you thought you had lost us?"

Blossom winced. Going back to that moment wasn't something she enjoyed doing and seeing her sister standing before her and imagining her lying back in that crater...she hated the memory, the image, ingrained in her mind. She wished she could erase it completely. But perhaps that memory had strengthened her love for her sisters. In a strange way, seeing her sisters die was a wake up call to how lucky she was to have them by her side now.

"You don't have to-"

"I felt my world collapse." Blossom began, meeting her sister's gaze. "It was as though the sky had turned black and fog was clouding my vision. All I could feel was the stinging, throbbing ache in my chest. A numbness encased my body. I couldn't even feel the rain falling overhead, or the tears dripping down my cheeks. My skin tingled, but it was a dull sensation. I was only aware of the pain in my stomach and the void in my chest. I could have cried for hours and yet the ache would continue. There was no relief, none. I didn't care about anything at that moment. I couldn't think. I could only see what was before me and the sight of your lifeless bodies struck me into a state of stupidity. It was the single most horrendous thing I have ever had to experience."

Buttercup's mouth opened...then closed. She had no response.

Blossom offered her a reassuring smile. "But it's over now and we're back together. Nothing will ever tear us apart again. You got that?" A nod. Blossom raised her fists. "Then come on, we don't have all day."

Buttercup chuckled and copied her sister's stance. Blossom was dashing towards her, in an attempted spear, when a piercing, shrill siren brought her to a stop. She slammed her hands over her ears, as did Buttercup.

"What is that!?" Buttercup shouted over the noise.

"A new monster siren I think! Ms. Bellum told me about it but I've never actually heard it before!" Blossom shouted back.

They hurried out of the ring and into the locker room, where the siren was a little more muted. Blossom pulled out her phone and called Bubbles.

_"Hello?"_

"Bubs, we have an emergency. Monster attack."

_"Where?"_

Buttercup checked her phone. "Downtown, near the coast, last seen at the end of Washington street."

"Washington street." Blossom relayed.

_"Should I tell the boys?"_

"No, not yet. If we need backup, we'll call them." Buttercup was gathering their stuff back into a bag. "Meet us there asap."

* * *

It was...huge.

Huge and...had ice breath.

The city shook with each step the giant thing took. It's roar had already shattered countless windows. It was taking the city back to the ice age. The destruction it was causing would cost thousands if not millions of dollars and soon it would end up killing someone. They had to think fast. So Blossom and Buttercup began to discuss a possible plan while they waited for Bubbles.

"Maybe it's like the T-Rex and can't get up once it falls." Buttercup suggested.

"No, look, they're much longer." Blossom countered.

"What about injuring it's legs so it can't move?"

"There's a hard covering of plates over his entire body, we can't pierce through it."

"Does he have saliva glands or something that we can destroy to cut off his ice breath?"

Blossom watched closely as the monster separated it's jaws in another roar. "No, it must be coming from his lungs."

"Girls!" Bubbles joined her sisters as they studied the monster below. She gasped at the sight. "How are we supposed to defeat _that_!?"

Buttercup narrowed her eyes. "Way to have faith, Bubbles!"

Blossom glanced at the nearby sea, then to the telephone wires criss-crossing through the city. "We can electrocute him."

Both sisters turned to her.

"Bubbles go grab one of those telephone poles and wrap the wire around the monster. Buttercup, you're with me." Bubbles did as told, dashing away in a streak of blue. Blossom and Buttercup dipped down to ground level, a good distance from the monster. It's foot crashed down right beside them, splitting the road into a crumble of rocks. They separated as a gust of ice was blown their way. Blossom attempted to counteract the attack with her own ice breath, but the monster's was stronger and she had to duck out of the way to avoid being frozen into a giant ice cube. Bubbles appeared and began flying around the monster, wrapping it up in electrical wires. "Buttercup, time to lift this thing! On the count of three!" They situated themselves beside each leg. "One!" Their hands slipped under the monster's feet. "Two!" And the wires snapped as the monster ripped them away from his body. Blossom gaped as the cables fell to the ground. "Shit."

"GAH!" Buttercup cried out as the monster's foot came down, stuffing her into the gravel. Bubbles went to attack but a large hand encircled her and she was launched through a set of buildings. Blossom stiffened as she was grabbed and lifted towards the monster's mouth. A green blast of energy made contact with the thing's eye and it dropped her. Buttercup was then swatted away like a fly. Bubbles flew forward but was frozen mid air. Both sisters fell to the ground and got back up. Blossom stepped away for a moment, trying to figure out a plan.

"Bubbles duck!" Buttercup pushed her blonde sister away and was flung into the road, forming another deep crater. This time, however, she didn't immediately get back up. Bubbles called to her sister but Buttercup had hit her head and was out cold. The monster raised both arms over it's head, bringing it's hands together, and tried to bring them down onto the green puff but Bubbles screamed into it's ear. It clawed at her and she did her best to dodge the attacks but eventually the monster caught her with his left hand and she hit the ground, hard. Blossom screamed out for her sister as Bubbles fell into the pile of twitching, live wires. The blue puff jolted as she was shocked and Blossom rushed to her, pulling her from the cords.

"Bubbles...?" She whispered gently. Bubbles moaned in agony and Blossom breathed a sigh of relief. She got to her feet to carry Bubbles but was instead thrown to the side by a leg and collided with a brick wall. Her teeth came down onto her tongue and drew blood. She spit away the bitter taste and looked up in time to face a cloud of ice breath. She put her arms up in preparation for the blast. It never came. A wave of heat made her hair stand up and she looked over her raised arms. The ferocious flames died down enough for her to see who was standing in front of her. A red cap was worn backwards by a pair of red eyes that spun around to see her and a grin slipped onto his face.

"Brick!" She couldn't help the smile that curved her own lips.

The monster stopped blowing at them and he was able to rush over and help her to her feet. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a grateful hug.

"How did you know we needed help?" She asked as she pulled away.

He rolled his eyes. "Obviously we followed you guys in case you needed backup."

She rolled her own eyes before grabbing his arm and pulling him to the sky, where they were safer. Below, Butch was fighting off the monster while Boomer helped her sisters to the top of a tall building. Her eyes drifted to the sea once again. It was still the best plan, but they didn't have any telephone wires...

Boomer made sure the girls were okay before diving in to help Butch, firing bursts of energy at the monster. Her eyes widened. Of course. She remembered that while training with Boomer, he had revealed his special powers.

"Brick," She caught his attention and he called for the others. "Butch, Brick, and I are going to lift this guy up and drop him in the sea. Boomer, you're going to electrocute him as soon as he hits the water, got it?"

Boomer nodded and Butch grinned. "That's it? Simple enough for me!" The three of them dove down to the monster.

"Brick try burning it a bit, Butch give it a few punches straight in the face, we need to weaken it." The three of them separated and began firing at the monster. With the combination of Butch's punches, Brick's flames, and her own attacks, the thing began to slow down. "Butch you're lifting it's mid section, Brick get his legs!" They got into position and began to lift in sync. To her surprise, they were able to get it into the air much more easily than before. "Head to the sea!" She kept her arms under the monster's thick neck, leading the boys to the coast. "Boomer get ready!" She brought them a mile out before they dropped it into the sea, having to fly away as a large burst of water was thrown into the sky. Almost immediately, the monster began to rise, shifting back to it's feet, it was only stomach deep. "Now!" Boomer's hands began to twitch and spark as he gathered up the energy, hovering directly over his target. Blossom's eyes flickered back and forth between the ruff and the monster, her anxiety growing with each inch that the monster rose. A ball of white energy crackled in Boomer's hands. The monster continued to gain ground. She had told him to be ready, he should have been charged beforehand, what the hell was taking so lo-

"BLOSSOM!"

A scream erupted from her throat as the monster's long arm reached out and claimed her, it's sharp claws and thick skin sealing her in a tight hold as she was ripped out of the air. Her scream was silenced by the sudden surge of water that rushed into her lungs as she was forced underwater. As soon as the burning sensation filled her lungs, a shuttering, sharp pain split through her entire body. She barely noticed the claws that released their bone-crunching grip. She saw white flashes and slammed her eyes shut, but they only continued. Her body jerked uncontrollably with every sharp burst of pain. Her skin felt hot, as though it was steaming underwater. Her fingers curled, her jaw clenched, her teeth bit down on her tongue and she continued to tremble even as the searing pain subsided. Before she could comprehend what had happened, she was pulled into a pair of arms and lifted from the water. The cold wind hit her body like a sheet of ice and she welcomed it, her skin felt as though it had been burnt to a crisp.

"Blossom?"

She swore she could feel something crawling over her body, everywhere, all at once.

"Pinky?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she stared into Brick's crimson glare. She looked down at her arm, tendrils of electricity flickered and died, which explained the crawling feeling.

GROOOARR

A gurgled bellow erupted from below, the powerful sound waves shaking the air. She moved her position so that Brick could hold her with one arm. The monster crawled back out of the water and reached another paw towards her.

She curled her fists into Brick's shirt, holding on for dear life. A claw swiped at her leg, so close that she felt it's rough talon on her skin.

Brick's hand went out and the monster's arm snapped at the elbow, bending back the wrong way at a 180 degree angle. This time, an ear-piercing cry spewed from it's mouth. Her eyes went wide.

The monster released a low growl and looked up at them, Blossom didn't even know monsters could glare. It sucked in a breath, she instinctively flinched, and then it's teeth snapped together, their pointy ends slicing it's tongue in half. The fleshy organ fell from the monster's mouth and into the sea, where a frenzy of sharks attacked it. The four teens looked down. Blossom shivered, despite the heat radiating beside her.

She turned to her counterpart. "Brick?" His eyes were a furious crimson, narrowed dangerously at the monster, his jaw tight with rage. His grip on her waist strengthened and her heart began to beat faster. The monster took a step back from the enraged teenager only for his leg to give out with an audible crack. He fell to his butt, powerless. The fight was over, the monster was down, what was he doing? "Brick...please." He pulled her closer to his chest, his glare set on the monster who was desperately trying to get away with only two limbs. He was determined on making the beast pay. A set of smaller cracks bent each of the monster's fingers towards his knuckles. It was howling in pain by now. Blossom's stomach sank with dread. "Stop..." The monster's head tilted to the side as it's opposite arm began to rotate backwards. She pulled on Brick's shirt, shaking him. "Stop it! Stop!" It was as though he couldn't hear her, his eyes were filled with white hot rage. Nausea turned her stomach as a grin slipped onto Brick's face at the sound of the monster's shoulder popping. But even that wasn't enough.

Brick extended his arm again.

"Bro stop!"

"It's over, leave it be!"

Even his brothers' shouts were ignored.

Blossom's heart was racing by now, what could she do? Brick wouldn't listen, he couldn't _hear_ her. He was going to torture this monster to death. He was going to break every last bone in his body until he was a puddle of flesh.

Brick narrowed his eyes at the wailing monster and it's neck began to twist.

Her eyes popped open. "BRICK NO!"

_BANG_

His hold on her waist went slack and she was forced to hold him up by his shirt as the rest of his body went limp. Butch stood behind him holding a metal beam. His green gaze weakened.

"What the hell was that?"

She looked to the unconscious boy in her arms and then to the mutated monster, the weight of dread heavy in her gut as she replied, "I...don't know."


	18. Chapter 18

"How are you feeling?"

Blossom tucked another pillow behind Brick as he sat up and offered him a glass of water. He accepted the offer with a small, "Thank you."

She smiled as he downed the drink. "Seems like you're feeling better."

He nodded and set aside the glass. He massaged his brow. "My head is pounding but I'm mostly back to normal..." He paused, slowly turning to her. "Although..." He shot her a wily look, his crimson eyes lidded.

The expression on his face made her blush and she blinked. "W-why are you looking at me like that?"

He leaned closer to her. "I just remembered that I actually saved your life yesterday, and have yet to receive a thank you."

Her cheeks were scorching and his hot breath didn't help. "Thank you?" She tried.

He touched her chin, his tussled hair brushing her forehead. "How about a bit more?" His lips whispered against hers.

She put a gentle hand to his chest and forced him back down with a roll of her eyes, hiding her embarassment. "You're such a dork."

He wrapped his fingers around her hand and pulled her with him. She gasped as she fell on top of him, noses inches apart. His voice was thick as he spoke. "I deserve a reward, babe."

His words made her frown and she tried to pull away, but he held tight. Brick rarely called her babe, he rarely even flirted with her besides cheesy compliments. What he was suggesting right now was beyond her boundaries, which he always stayed within. Something about how he was acting struck a chord with her and she didn't like it.

Suddenly, he flipped them around and pinned her beneath him, setting both hands beside her head, and fixing her with a sultry gaze. "How bout' it? I'm sure your sisters won't mind the bit of noise."

That does it.

She pulled back and struck him across the face hard enough to send him flying off of her. He hit the ground on the far side of the bed. She gasped and crawled across the mattress to him.

"Brick, are you okay?!"

His eyes were wide with terror and he backed away from her. "Bloss...oh my god, I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to say that or try to force you to-I didn't want to-you know I would never-" He slammed his palm to his forehead with a deep groan. "Fuck, I'm so sorry."

She got to the ground in front of him and took his hand away from his face. "Brick, it's okay. I understand that you're not feeling like yourself right now."

He stared at the ground in shame.

She cupped his jaw in her palm. "Tell me what's wrong."

He shook his head. "I can't explain it."

"Just try to tell me what happened yesterday." She encouraged him gently.

He closed his eyes, face hardening in concentration. "It was all so weird. It's like the magic I used just...changed me. I-I could hear everything and see everything, but it was like I was watching it all from outside my own body. No matter what I did, I couldn't break through. I couldn't _do_ anything." His face scrunched up in frustration. Blossom let her hand rest on his shoulder as she listened. "I was so mad and all I wanted was to protect you. That anger, it took over, it fucking controlled me." He clenched his fists, his body slumped down with regret.

"Not anger, dark magic." Blossom stated. Brick glanced up at her. "It's evil, just like Him, just like the things it allows you to do. You were fine until you used it yesterday. I've seen you angry before, but never like that. Its the magic."

His crimson gaze flashed with fear. "But it's a _part_ of me now. What am I supposed to do?"

She took his hand. "I'm not sure yet, but we're going to find out." They stood up. "How about a little training session?"

* * *

They entered the training room and sealed the doors shut, trapping themselves in a 30' by 30' space with only a table and a vase, which Blossom had brought.

Blossom moved to the center of the square room. "Computer, primary lights on." At the command of her voice, the lights flashed to life, revealing blindingly white walls. "Computer, activate all layers of protection." A metallic noise sounded through the walls which seemed to move and the air grew tighter.

_"All layers activated. Oxygen levels moderated. Temperature: 75 degrees."_

Blossom addressed Brick. "How are you feeling right now?"

He shrugged. "Fine."

She eyed him closely. "Any change in mood? Are you feeling somewhat angry, sad, happy?"

"Uh, no different from a few minutes ago. I feel a little bit sad, I guess."

"Remorseful?" She asked.

He nodded.

She walked over to the table and placed the vase on top of it. "No strong angry thoughts or urges to destroy something?"

"No."

She motioned to the vase. "Okay then. I want you to use your dark magic to lift this vase, nothing else, just the vase. It only has to be a few inches in the air. Nothing extreme."

Brick raised a hesitant eyebrow but did as she said. He slowly raised his arm and focused on the object. The vase rose from the table and hovered in midair. Blossom watched Brick intently. He seemed perfectly fine.

"I want you to answer some questions as you continue to hold that up." She explained and he gave her a subtle nod. "When is your birthday?"

He rolled his eyes. "Talk about a shitty question."

She folded her arms. "Brick, this is serious. Answer the question."

He shot a glare at her and she swore she saw a flicker of pain behind his fiery irises. "I don't know."

"What?"

He sighed heavily. "I. Don't. Know."

Her face instantly fell. "You...don't?"

He shook his head. "Was never important to us. We didn't even know what a calendar was until we met Him." He scoffed. "Figures the lobster would make up dumbass holidays for everything."

Blossom felt an ache in her chest, an ache that longed to go back in time and give the ruffs a real childhood. She felt guilty for having been so privileged, everyone always looking up to her, getting everything she wanted, a perfect life, while Brick wasn't even given a birthday.

"I'm sorry." She said to him, knowing it wouldn't fix anything, but hoping it could offer him at least a tiny bit of comfort.

He didn't respond and she looked up.

A gasp broke the silence and she covered her gaping mouth. "B-Brick?"

He was staring right at her with a look of pure, raw _hate._ And his eyes...they were glowing, and darkening, and he was walking towards her. She took a step back and at once the vase shattered and the lights died, sealing her in darkness with a pair of burning red globes that continued forward. She didn't know what else to do other than to back away but Brick only followed and she found herself pinned in a corner. Two hands slammed to the wall on either side of her head. Her skin went cold.

"Who _the fuck_ do you think you are?" His words slipped out of his mouth like venom, dripping with disgust. Disgust at her. "You think you're better than me. You think you're better than my brothers. Than your sisters. Than this whole damn world! You're just too good for all of us huh?" His voice rose to a shout and she flinched with every word.

"Brick, please just breathe. Just take a second and-"

He pounded a fist into the wall and she felt the debris crumble beside her head. Her heart hammered against her chest. He grabbed one of her wrists and her chin and brought her eyes to his. Her knees went weak. Something about the red hot rage burning within his glare sent shivers down her spine and made her hair stand up. She was scared.

"You're a perfect fucking princess, Pinky. A perfect little princess who refuses to help her starving people. Who refuses to give up the throne even when she's lost the war. So fucking perfect and smart, just so smart. You're always right, aren't you? How dare I question your logic. How dare I _breathe in your presence_. How dare I breathe at all." His grip on her chin tightened and she worried he would break her jaw. Fear struck through her so sharply that she couldn't move, couldn't help it if he broke her. She was back to being the weak, fragile, selfish leader. "Damn fucking right you're still selfish." She gaped at him. "I mean look at the mess you got us all into now. Forcing your sisters to befriend my brothers. Lying to everyone about what really happened to you during those three months. Manipulating me to bend to your will so that you could turn me into this, a rage-fueled, power hungry, evil MONSTER who can't control his own damn powers because a fucking slut had to walk into his life!"

She knew he was being controlled by the dark magic, she knew he wasn't himself, she knew this wasn't what Brick thought of her, and yet a fierce pain pierced through her chest and a tear rolled down her cheek. It was instantly wiped away and she whimpered at the dark face looking down at her.

Just like Him's used to, Brick's voice completely changed tone. "Aw, babe, don't worry. There's pain much worse than the truth." He brought her hand to his lips and whispered against it, malevolent irises gleaming. "Like the feeling of every bone in your body breaking, one by one." He twirled a piece of her hair around his finger. "Or having your eye wrenched out of your socket and then being stabbed countless times before falling to your death and losing a chunk of your head in the process." His breath was cold as it reached her ear. "Or being beaten to death by a pair of immature boys as your sister runs away, and _leaves you to die._"

A python wrapped around her throat as she choked back the sobs. "B-Brick, I-I don't know what to do. I want to, I want-"

His deep chuckle shook her to the core. "You want, you want. You only ever want, greedy bitch. How about you try giving for once?" His fingers brushed back her hair and slid down her neck, curved along her spine, and found the small of her back which he used to push her forward. She put her hands up and tried to get away from his chest. "What's wrong, little princess? I thought you were a hero, aren't heroes supposed to be generous?" Another hot tear dripped from her chin. This time it wasn't wiped away. "I thought you loved me, Pinky." His other hand was rising up her torso. She began to throw her fists into his chest, desperate to escape his greedy touch. "Don't be so cold, babe, you're like an _alien from Antarctica_."

His words snapped at her like sharp teeth and she felt them drive into her skin, into her heart, and she began to cry. "Stop, you're not yourself. This isn't you. Please don't do this, don't go back to being evil, Brick, _please_." It mortified her to beg, but she was terrified.

"Just give in, princess." His voice was thick, hovering beside her lips. His eyes closed and he pulled her against him. She went stiff as his hand slipped under her shirt and his lips neared hers.

"Please..." She cried.

"YO!"

The door slammed open and both teens jumped. Brick stumbled back and Blossom hurried out of the corner, wrapping her arms around herself. She glanced at him and he stared back, a dead look in his eyes.

"When the fuck is it gonna be my turn! I thought you made a schedule!" It was Butch.

The room was still cast in shadows and she was grateful that the green ruff couldn't see her in such a weak state. She quickly wiped away her tears and fixed her shirt. Brick was still staring at her, but a new look was in his eyes, a look of horror.

"B-Blossom?" His voice reached her ears, trembling.

She held her hand out to him but he flinched away. "Brick?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't want to hurt you."

"HELLO?"

"Yes, Butch, I'll be right-"

"Go ahead." Brick cut her off. "We're finished."

"Wait, Bri-" She tried to grab him but he bolted out of the door, nearly knocking over his brother. He wanted to be alone. No, he wanted to be away from her, because of his shame. But what could she do? She didn't know how to fix this. So she squeezed her eyes shut and forced back the tears. "Computer, secondary lights on."

The room flashed to life and Butch turned to her, startled by his brother's flee at first but a cocky grin quickly covered it. "Oh, sup Bloss?"

She went to him and yanked him into the room, throwing the door shut. "Let's just train already."

* * *

Just as soon as everything had begun to fall into place, it fell apart again.

Brick's dark magic was taking over, it was controlling him and turning him into something horrible. Blossom feared that it would only get worse as time went on. What if it eventually took full control? What if the effects became irreversible? What if they were already too late?

She let her head fall into her hands.

She had never dealt with dark magic, she was never able to understand problems concerning powers, that was the Professor's territory. Without him, she was lost. She knew the moment she chose to crush Him's heart over Brick that she could be risking it all. She knew the consequences could be tragic. But she had had no other choice. What could she possibly do now? When Butch had knocked Brick unconscious, she had hoped that he would wake up back to normal and that the 'change' only happened when he was using the dark magic...but clearly that wasn't the case. Him's powers were now a part of Brick, just like he had said. There was no way for her to remove those powers. It was possible that they could practice and attempt to help Brick gain control of- No, it wouldn't work. It was too dangerous. He should never have to use dark magic and for some reason, her gut told her that the more he used it, the worse he would get. So what then? Would she just knock him unconscious every time he acted up? Chain him down any time he went into a fit? Dose him with antidote x and hope that it would weaken his dark magic but not kill him?

'What if you can't do anything?' She clenched her teeth. 'What if Brick was always destined to be evil? To fail. And your attempts are useless. What then, princess?' No, there had to be a way. Just like when he had been dying, when all hope was lost, Blossom still found a way to save him. It just couldn't end here. Brick couldn't-he just couldn't, she wouldn't let him...'If he fails to control the evil and takes off on a murderous rampage, what will you do? He's a danger to everyone and your duty is to protect the people. In order to protect them you'll have to erase the danger. You'll have to kill-'

She got to her feet and made her way downstairs, shutting out her thoughts. She wouldn't think of such things. Not now. Not after all of the progress they had made. Even if Brick did become dangerous, she could never bring herself to ki-to hurt him. After all, heroes weren't supposed to kill. She held herself to a higher standard than that.

'So then what will you do with him? He can't be locked up, he's too strong. You can't take away his powers. Sedatives don't work on superhumans. There's no other option. Just look at what he did to you.'

She stopped dead in her tracks and stared down at her arm. A sickening purple welt was already forming on her wrist. She glanced around to make sure her sisters weren't nearby before slowly lifting up her shirt. Tears stung her eyes and she looked away. He had burned her stomach.

Her heart went to her throat and she collapsed to the floor, curling into herself. Horror struck every fiber of her being and she began to tremble. She pictured his hateful, glowing red eyes moving closer to her, grabbing her, cursing her existence, curling his fingers around her throat and cutting off her air pipe. Her cheeks matched the color of her wrist and he would laugh in her face. He would laugh and then he would let her fall, dropping her at his feet before taking off to kill the rest. Only to get himself killed. She buried her face in her arms and closed her eyes.

"What have I done?"


	19. Chapter 19

The house was filled with the delicious smells of Boomer and Bubbles' homemade pork roast, the aroma twining in and out of the room as the fresh air blew in from the windows. The two blondes had gotten along so well during their first 'hang out' that they decided to do it again. Meanwhile, empty bags of chips and candy wrappers littered the living room floor as well as a pile of video games. The TV was split into two separate screens as Butch and Buttercup competed with each other in Mario Kart. Today was the first time that the greens weren't at each other's throats and it was mainly because they were so caught up in the game. There wasn't any talking going on between the brunettes, but the blondes were as chipper as ever. All in all it was a beautiful day and everyone seemed to be getting along, well...everyone except for two read heads.

Blossom sat on the stairs, watching her siblings and the ruffs, but never really focusing on them. She wanted to be happy for two pairs but couldn't dig herself out of the pit of guilt she had become buried in. All she could think about was how badly she had messed up and how she wished the Professor was still around to help her. She was a leader and it was her job to find a solution to the problem. It was up to her to help Brick. But _how?_

"Blossy!" She lifted her head as Bubbles bounced over to her. "What do you want for dessert?"

She tried to summon up a small smile but found it to be impossible. Instead she simply shrugged. "Whatever you want to make."

A frown instantly formed on the blonde's face. "You've been really quiet today...is something wrong?"

Blossom shook her head. "No, just a bit tired is all."

Bubbles raised an eyebrow and glanced around. "Hm, now that I think of it, Brick isn't here...could your sad mood have something to do with him?"

Blossom sighed, there was no point in lying to her. "You know me too well. Yes it's about him and what happened a few days ago."

"You mean during the monster attack?" Bubbles questioned.

She nodded slowly. "I don't think I ever told you, but when I saved Brick...well, I had to sort of _crush_ Him's heart over him and now he basically has Him's powers plus his own."

Bubbles' jaw fell.

Blossom continued, needing to get it off her chest. "And one of his new powers is dark magic which you can tell from the name is...dark. I told him not to use it but the monster had pulled me under water and I got electrocuted, he didn't really think, he just was so mad that he chose to use the magic in order to take down the monster. But the magic _possessed_ him and he lost control. No matter what we said he wouldn't stop hurting it, even when it was already defeated. He was going to kill it, so Butch was forced to knock him unconscious." She massaged her forehead. "I thought when he woke up he'd be fine but he wasn't. He was...different. So I took him to the training room hoping I could figure out a little bit more about the magic. Instead he lost control again and came after me."

"Oh Blossom..." Bubbles wrapped her arms around her sister and hugged her close. The gesture pulled at Blossom's heart strings.

"I just don't know what to do. I have no way to help him. No way to protect anyone if he goes after them. I don't have a single idea as to how to handle this except for-" She bit her lip. "F-for-" She began to shake and Bubbles squeezed her, laying her head on Blossom's shoulder. "Bubbles, what if I-what if Brick...never gets better? What if this is where it ends? What am I going to do?" She hugged her knees to her chest. "I-I love him, Bubbles."

The young blonde rubbed her sister's back soothingly. "I know, Blossy, I know. But you can't put this on your shoulders alone...we _all_ need to help you. Brick's brothers are worried, I'm certain of it. Boomer has been off today, more distant. And you can even tell that Butch is distracted, look." She turned her head and indeed, the green ruff was looking at the TV but his fingers were still, he wasn't even playing. "They care about him and want to help. And Buttercup and I care about you and we are not going to let you do this on your own."

Blossom looked at her. "But what can any of you do? We can't just take away his powers, it doesn't work that way. I don't want to say it but...he's dangerous right now. If things get worse he could hurt other people and no prison could hold him, there's nothing that could stop him. _What_, Bubbles, _what_ can we possibly do?"

Bubbles now bit her lip and glanced away, her blue eyes widening with concern.

"Bubs! The blue one started a fire!" Buttercup's shout came from the kitchen, which she had apparently just walked into without their noticing. Bubbles flashed Blossom an apologetic look, the latter giving a subtle nod, before immediately getting up and running in to address the situation. Butch decided to join in on the entertainment, leaving the pink puff by herself in the living room. Blossom knew that her presence was a disturbance to the sunny atmosphere, and chose to get to her feet and walk out the door. A short stroll could help ease her mind and hopefully it would give her an opening to think of an idea.

* * *

The vision came when she turned the corner onto Malum street. At first it was a plain sidewalk lined with mailboxes and flowers, a peaceful neighborhood that glowed in the evening sunset. Her thoughts were just beginning to slow into present time, her mind settling, worries being pushed aside. And then she blinked herself into a nightmare. The ground transformed into one of cracked rock, splattered with blood and littered with bones. Her head rose and she saw no houses or sunsets, but peeling walls, ashes raining from the ceiling, a cave of death. The air immediately left her lungs and a thick smell of rotten, mucky decay filled her nose. She turned and keeled over, dry heaving. Her sinuses were on fire from the invasive toxic stench. It was then that the cold overtook her, sending her into a fit of shivers, even though it was the middle of summer. A breeze swept by, frozen and carrying the essence of death. It was so familiar, too familiar. She knew where she was. She simply didn't want to remember.

But the dissevered eye that rolled by her feet was unforgettable. A gleaming yellow iris winked up at her and she felt a sudden, sick yearning to see Him. Without thinking, she followed the entrails of blood and guts to the same body that she had left behind, devoid of a heart. It was as ghastly as ever, with moss growing out of the empty eye socket, worms weaving through the chest cavity, pulsing underneath the red skin, and a brain now resting on the floor. The gash on the side of the head had deteriorated into a large hole which the brain had fallen out of. This was where the smell was strongest.

She knelt down, despite herself, and looked at the decaying body of her childhood nemesis. She almost felt a flicker of sympathy for the strange demon, being killed by your own son wasn't a death she hoped to ever endure. But she didn't know the qualms between the ruffs and their 'fathers', so the sympathy was short lived. Instead her mind became drawn to the open chest cavity.

"Could this be the way to save Brick?" She asked herself. Him had been the solution before, could he be it again? She frowned and leaned back on her heels. Her gaze flicked up to the surrounding darkness. 'What even is this? Am I actually here, or am I hallucinating?' She couldn't explain it even if she tried, but for some reason being there felt _normal._ She didn't fear the fact that she could be seeing things nor that some ethereal magic could have brought her there. All she knew was that it was necessary. But why?

She got to her feet and began to walk around, looking for some form of an answer or clue. The pile of bodies was still there, now stripped of all flesh. A cloud of ash fell over her as though there was a disturbance up above. She looked to the ceiling.

There wasn't one.

She shuddered, turning away from the deep, dark, endless abyss. Nothing in this place made sense. It went against basic physics and questioned all science, even more so than her own existence did. Then again, Him was a demon and demons weren't real according to science...but clearly Him was real. She went to the wall and slowly brought her fingertips to it. At her touch, the peeling debris broke off and fluttered to the ground in small pieces, just like burnt paper. She reached out to place her hand on what was behind the pellicle fragments.

_Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap._

She whipped around at the sound, her heart leaping into her throat, and squinted into the darkness. A large shadow moved against the others in long, thin shapes. The tapping continued in a synchronized pattern, almost like heels clicking against the floor. She held her breath. It was getting closer. The shadow was stalking forward, _towards her_. Her heart thudded loudly and she feared the thing could hear it.

_Tap. Tap. _

She didn't move a muscle. It stopped, directly in front of her, but still hidden by the shadows. And then a long leg stepped into her line of sight and a body followed it.

She shouldn't have been surprised and deep down, she doubted that she was. Yet a gasp still escaped her lips.

"Well hello, _Blossom._" Just like it used to years ago, her name still came out in a vicious growl from the demon's mouth.

Despite the body lying nearby, he didn't look the slightest bit dead. Hell, he even looked better than the last time she saw him alive. He flashed her a malicious smile, sharp teeth shimmering, and looked at her with a pair of still-attached, golden irises. Her knees buckled.

"...Him?" Her voice was pathetically weak in the silence and the demon laughed at it.

"Why so scared? It's not like we haven't met before." He was still dressed in his signature red, pink dress and styling thigh high stilettos. It made her cringe. He pinched his goatee with one of his claws and hummed.

She narrowed her eyes at the taunting demon. "No, but you're dead. Or at least I thought you were..."

A high-pitched chuckle split her ears and she winced. "Blossom, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one?" His frilly voice echoed in the otherwise silent cave as he moved closer to her and she shifted to the side. He lifted one of his red claws and slid it along her cheek, his face much too close. She could smell death on his breath and her core trembled as she looked deep into his luminescent glare. All at once, fear seized her and she darted away from the demon. Her legs carried her off, to another wall, dead end. She turned around and tried to find an exit. Wall. Again. Wall. There was no way out. A sharp, solid grip caught her forearm and she was yanked back to her original spot with a squeak.

Him's eyes still glowed, but this time it was with rage. He didn't even attempt to talk sweetly. "You listen here you little brat! This is not a game. I'm here for a reason and I only have so much time to explain. Don't you dare run away." She gagged on the reek of his breath. "Do you understand me?!" He roared so loudly that a pile of ash rained down onto them.

'You're the one playing mind games.' She thought bitterly but held her ground, forcing back the terror. She had faced worse. "I don't understand, actually." She hissed back with just as much authority. "_How_ and _why_ are you here? You're supposed to be dead."

He had to take a moment to turn away and salvage what bit of patience he had left. With a sharp breath, he whipped back to her and it was like a switch was flipped. His face split into a huge grin and the recent rage disappeared from his glare. His voice took back it's honey-like tone. "I am dead, yes, but I am also a demon so my soul can travel wherever."

She narrowed her eyes, ignoring the fact that the demon was terrifyingly bipolar. "And the why?"

He turned his nose up at her but explained anyways. "You should know why. It's been eating away at you for days."

She paused momentarily, raising her brows in question, and then her gaze traveled to the side, where she presumed the body to be. "Brick."

He nodded. "Brick." She hated the sound of his name on the demon's tongue.

"Are you here to tell me that I've failed and that Brick is now your puppet?" Her voice came out empty and gray, a reflection of her inner emotions.

"Not quite." Him purred as he began to walk around the room, his body seeming to radiate like a red glow stick. "You see, my son has a very critical situation at hand. Ever since you transfered my powers to him, he has been fighting an inner demon. Dark magic was intended for evil deities such as myself. Our composition is able to contain the powerful magic, but a half human like Brick's is not. He now has his original superpowers combined with my own, an unsubstantial amount that will possess and ultimately destroy him, along with everything else in this world. No non-demon should _ever_ hold that much energy. The effects will be catastrophic."

Nothing he had said was surprising to her, nor was it news. But if he wasn't here to laugh in her face then what was he here for? "Why are you telling me this?"

His pernicious gaze locked on hers. "Because I can help."

Her eyes went wide for a split second and then she narrowed them, questioning the demon's intentions. There was no reason for him to trick her, he already had Brick wrapped around his claw. But why would he help? They hated each other, not to mention Him had always wanted to watch the world crumble and Brick had _killed_ him.

"You're over thinking it." Him suddenly said, pulling her out of her thoughts. She blinked. "Of course I would love to see this world crumble, but only at my hands, not my corrupted son's. Unfortunately though, I'm dead, so I can't destroy it. And my only other option, as degrading as it is, is to-..." He sighed sadly and put a claw to his forehead. "..._save_ it."

She was silent for a moment, tilting her head at the demon.

"You can...read my mind?" She asked.

He looked at her as though she was stupid. "Do you not recall Brick's ability to control that monster you were fighting? You can't control someone's mind and not be able to read it."

She blinked again. "...oh." So that meant Brick had been able to read her mind this entire time. Oh god. Her cheeks changed color. 'Maybe he doesn't realize he can read minds.' She tried to reassure herself but failed and resorted to covering her face with her hands.

"As embarrassing as that probably is, we have more important matters to discuss." He spoke to her and she simply nodded along. "Brick has a lot of power threatening to burst from within him, dark magic specifically. And as surprising as it may be, the solution is quite simple. All you have to do is-" He paused.

She frowned and looked up from her hands questioningly. "...what are you doing?" The demon was moving his mouth, but not speaking.

Upon hearing her words, he turned to her and his eyes immediately narrowed. His lips began to move more rapidly, but all she heard was her own heart beat.

She stepped forward, hoping to hear better, when Him vanished. She jumped back. "Him?" Her voice echoed against the walls. "What's going on?" In Him's place, a cloud of darkness began to roll towards her. She stumbled away but there was no escaping it. Her head tilted back as the void of shadows above her collapsed. It fell over her head in a deafening roar and her eyes slammed shut. She swayed as her body became weightless, her knees gave out, and she was scooped up into the darkness with a scream.

* * *

Her eyes shot open to the sight of a paved sidewalk stretching into a horizon full of bleeding colors, bordered by a set of peaceful houses. She bent over suddenly and gasped as though she had not been breathing for the past few minutes. Her lungs felt like they were on fire, sizzling with every breath she took. 'Must've breathed in too much ash.' She thought jokingly to herself and her heart stopped. She looked around at her surroundings. It was her neighborhood, nothing changed, even the same time. She knelt down and touched the pavement, the rough surface grazed her fingertips and she flinched. Had it all been a hallucination? Was she going crazy? A flock of birds flew over her head, their melodious singing reached her ears. If it hadn't been a hallucination, then why couldn't she hear Him? Why was she back here? It didn't make sense, she had to be over thinking. The stress was getting to her, that's all it was. She just needed some sleep. Yeah, she would just turn around and forget about all of this. She was going to go home, lay down, and-

She rubbed her arm out of habit and pulled away at the odd lump she felt. Her gaze flicked down and her stomach instantly dropped.

A red welt wrapped around her forearm, it's jagged outline resembling the razor sharp edges of a claw. Her eyes went wide.

It was directly where Him had grabbed her.


	20. Chapter 20

By the time she got home, she could no longer think straight. Her mind was racing with possibilities and questions, all relating to the demon she had interacted with only moments before. The _dead_ demon who had somehow been real. Who had somehow brought her to his cave and then thrown her back to the street before he could even tell her how the hell he could help.

She pushed through the door and hardly glanced at the pair of brunettes sitting on the couch, still being entertained by their video games. She strode towards the kitchen, in need of a glass of water. Upon entering, she noticed the absence of two people and the remnants of a half eaten pie. Her brows furrowed.

A giggle rang from outside. "No it's fine, I messed up my first time too!"

It came from the backyard.

"Yeah but did you ruin an oven?" A male voice.

"Well no...but I had the oven up too high and the pie plate shattered."

"Oh...damn."

She threw open the kitchen window and was met with a pair of cerulean gazes. Both blondes' faces instantly fell upon sight of her. She arched a suspicious brow.

"Blossy, you're home!" Bubbles stood and Boomer followed. Her blonde sister fiddled with her thumbs nervously. "You weren't out for long, are you okay?"

Blossom narrowed her eyes, "Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be? I was just checking to see where you two were. But now that I know you're fine, I guess I'll leave you alone..."

Bubbles giggled, averting her gaze. Boomer crossed his arms behind his back, also staring at the grass, which seemed to be unusually interesting today. Blossom tapped her fingers against the window sill and tilted her head.

"Er...Blossy?" The hesitant voice grabbed her attention.

"Yes, Bubbles?" Blossom let her eyes fall on the blue puff.

"What happened to your arm?"

Her gaze went to the limb resting on the window sill, the limb that styled a hideous red cut in the shape of a claw. Her stomach dropped. She quickly retracted her arm and crossed it behind her other one. "Just a uh scratch...happened while I was walking through the, er, woods. Sharp branch or something I think, it was kind of dark."

Bubbles moved towards the window. "Are you sure it's just a scratch? That looks pretty bad, maybe I could clean it up or-"

"NO!" She covered her mouth at the sudden outburst and both blondes stared at her in shock. Blossom flashed them a strained smile almost instantly, "You know what, I'm really tired, I'm just gonna go to bed, okay? See you guys tomorrow."

"Blossy wait-"

But before the blue puff could finish, Blossom slammed the window shut and yanked the curtains together.

She hurried over to the staircase in hopes of retreating to her room but was stopped by a banging from downstairs. It sounded like someone was using the simulator. She glanced at the couch. Buttercup and Butch were still there. 'It has to be Brick.' But why was he down there alone? He could hurt himself and he knew that. 'Maybe he wants to be alone. Don't bother him, you've done enough harm.' Yes, but he could be in danger. She should at least check up on him, make sure everything was okay. If all was well, she would leave. No harm, no foul. Right? Right.

She brought her hand to the door and eased it open, being sure to close it behind her. Then she gathered up what little composure she had left and began down the staircase and into her father's lab.

As she walked through the lab, the banging ceased and was replaced with an eerie silence. Her chest clenched but she ignored it. When she reached the simulator, she peered in through the small window but could see nothing through the darkness. She took a deep breath and placed her palm against the detector. The doors opened with a sigh.

"Computer, primary and secondary lights on." Her voice carried through the room but was not answered. She bit her lip. "Computer, natural light on." The ceiling split apart into two sections and slid back to allow the moonlight in. It didn't do much, but it revealed her counterpart sitting on the ground with his head buried in his hands. Her heart cracked at the sight.

"Hey Pinky." His voice was painfully dull.

She stepped forward and spoke gently. "Brick, what are you doing?"

He didn't move. "Thinking. Worrying. Letting my fears consume me in hopes that it will take control over the demon." She noticed his cap was nowhere to be seen. "Clearly, it's not working."

A cloud rolled over the moon and momentarily cast them in darkness. When the light returned, Brick was standing in front of her. She jumped back with a gasp. His head bobbed. "Yeah, that's the reaction I was expecting."

Blossom frowned. "No, I didn't jump because I'm scared of you. I just-"

"You _are_ scared of me." He growled and met her with a furious red glare. She unintentionally winced. "You're scared of me and soon everyone else will be too once they see the monster that I've become."

"Brick stop, you're not a monster. We can help-"

He turned on her. "Oh give it up already, Blossom! You can't help me, no one can. My fate is sealed, I'm going to become some kind of demon who destroys everything in sight. This city has no future with me in it! It's time to get rid of me before I hurt someone I care about. Before I hurt you." Tears flecked his eyes and she reached out. He pushed her away and she stumbled.

"You wouldn't hurt me. You wouldn't. I know you and you're stronger than this, Brick. Just let me help you, please, that's all I want. I can't live with myself knowing I didn't at least try." She went to him and held his face, seeing that he had forced back the tears. Maybe he just needed to show some kind of emotion that wasn't anger. Maybe he just needed to cry for once. "You hate yourself right now, I know. You're scared of what you might become. You want to protect me from harm but right now you feel that you're the harm. You aren't sure how to protect me anymore and that's okay, Brick, that's okay. Because I've faced you before. I can fend for myself. You don't need to worry about me, right now you need to worry about you. We all want to help, your brothers and my sisters. We can figure this out together and-"

He grabbed her arms and ripped them from his face. She tried to squirm away but his grip was too strong. He sneered at her, "Just get away, Blossom, get away and never fucking come back. I don't want you. I never have, never will. You've only ever held me back and I'm _fucking SICK of it!_" He shook her. "DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

"Brick-!" Her plead turned into a shriek as she was thrown across the room and directly into the wall, with enough force to split a crack straight down the middle of the super-power proof material. Her eyes were as wide as saucers as she turned to the damaged wall. 'He has enough power to kill you.' She whipped around just in time to duck out of the way of an energy blast, saving her head. Before she could process anything, a hand seized her hair and she was yanked to her feet. Brick got in her face and pulled her hair down, forcing her head up.

"See? See how terrifying I am? I wouldn't hurt you right?" He pulled even harder until she was facing the ceiling, his body leaning over hers so he could look down into her eyes. "Scared yet, Pinky? No? Well you should be! Because I'm fucking terrified!" His voice cracked and she let out a whimper. "Hurts doesn't it? Imagine the pain I'll inflict on everyone you love, including myself!"

"No." She mewled, chest rapidly rising and falling against his.

"No? You don't want that? Well, it doesn't matter, princess, because you're not in charge anymore. Hell, I'm not even in charge anymore. You wanna know pain? Try feeling your sanity slowly and agonizingly begin to slip every second of every day while watching the only people you care about cower away in fear of what you're becoming, no one knowing what to do, no one having a single idea regardless of the fact that time is running out and all the while fearing yourself more than anyone else because you know that you'll destroy everything in your wake if you don't kill yourself soon!" The words poured out of his mouth and in the end came as sobs. Brick stepped away and shielded his face as the tears fell. Blossom went to rub his back but found that her shoulder was dislocated and bit back a cry. She resorted to reassuring him with words.

"Don't hide it Brick, it's okay to cry. This is what you need. You need to experience other emotions besides anger. It might help you." She spoke slowly and delicately, masking her pain with a whole-hearted smile.

"No, I need to be alone. I need to-to think and...be away from _you_." His voice trembled but his irises still burned with hate, directed at her.

She opened her mouth but no words came out. He shoved past her, gaze attached to the ground, and stormed out of the room.

"B-Brick where are you-?"

"Home. I need to rest." He growled before slamming the door shut, secluding her in silence.

She sighed and put her shoulder back in place. "Computer...natural light off."

And she secluded herself in darkness.

* * *

Her fist connected with a solid mass, crushing whatever it was that threatened to challenge her power. Claws raked her back and she spun around, snatching the monster by it's neck. She raised it up in a choke hold then slammed it down onto the concrete, savoring the sickeningly sweet sound of bones crunching. Her vicious side was unleashed as the stress, anger, and regret spilled off of her in thick waves. With every hit, more power surged through her veins. With every drop of blood, crackling energy flowed to her fingertips. With every anguished scream, she felt more and more alive until she thought she might burst with the momentous essence of life. Movement flashed past her side. A sharp pain rocketed up her leg. She brought her elbow down, directly onto a face that splattered her arm with blood. She kicked the limp body aside and prepared for the next. This was what it was like to be a hero. Your greatest enemy always had to be villains, never yourself, no matter how much you hated that girl staring back at you in the mirror. No, the villains were forever the target. She was digging her fists into monsters' faces not because she imagined that they had a pair of pink eyes and auburn locks, but because they were villains. This was how they all relieved stress; her, Bubbles, and Buttercup. And soon the ruffs, too.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Is what Buttercup would have shouted as she tore a monster's torso in half. Her face would be beat red, mouth hanging open as she gasped for breath, her pants more like growls. A smirk would curl her lips when she found flecks of crimson staining her shirt. But it would not be a smirk of sadistic glee, no, it would be a cover-up, a veil to hide her inner qualms. She did that often, putting on a savage act to prevent her true emotions from showing. Buttercup hated many things, but emotions topped the list.

Bubbles. Oh Bubbles. Her hardcore phase may have ended long ago, but she still held a fiery rage within that pure heart of hers. And it _longed_ to be released. So when she stepped foot into the simulator, the room had better be empty. Everything poured out while she fought, whether it be tears or curses, screams or cries, sometimes she might even split into laughter. She had a crazed demeanor to her when she trained, because she knew that nothing was at risk at that moment and she was not being watched by all of the citizens. She was free to show her dark side.

Fighting was simply something they knew and could never abandon. It was like a stress ball for a child to them. Even now, fighting was what Blossom had resorted to. She, however, did not crack a single smile during her battles. Her face remained set in a glacial grimace, pink irises alight with all of the emotions that flooded her. She spoke through her eyes and most people, fortunately for her, could not read them.

A hand wrapped around her arm and she instantly caught it, twisting it backwards far enough to hear a crack. She went into a handstand, swinging her legs over the monster's shoulders and around it's neck. She used her legs to throw him behind her, causing it to collide with another monster. Sure, she had powers. But acrobatics made things interesting and made _her_ unpredictable.

Something touched her back and she cartwheeled away. She landed on her feet and moved into a fighting position, when her eyes saw what had touched her.

That was no simulated monster.

That was a demon straight from Hell.

"Oh my god..."

It had red skin and beady yellow eyes just like Him, but instead of lobster claws, it had real claws. Long, razor sharp talons adorned each hand along with a glistening set of knife-like teeth. It's face stretched into a hideous grin as it cackled at her. She took a step back, fearing that this was some sort of trick and Him was nearby. But then ice cold breath slithered down her neck and a pair of arms encircled her. She wanted to struggle out of the grip, but was too intent on knowing what was going on. The last time she had tried to run away from a demon, things hadn't ended too pretty, so she decided to allow the demon to restrain her.

'Him.' She told herself. 'Him must be behind this. Oh god, why is he here? How does he have an army of demons?' The lack of sense that Him made had begun to split her mind and she no longer knew what to believe.

Before she could count to ten, a circle of demons had formed around her, all baring their claws and teeth at her in vicious snarls. She could do nothing but watch on in terror, dreading what would come next.

And then a taller figure appeared, towering over all of the demons and radiating a fiery aura more powerful than Hell itself. Even just his eyes burned hotter than a live fire and they were narrowed directly at her.

"No..." She went slack in the demon's grip, her stomach sinking. "You didn't, please tell me you didn't change the simulation programming. Tell me it wasn't you."

Her pleas reached his ears and he growled, a sound so cold and dark that it made her shiver. "Who says this is a simulation? Maybe this is reality, _princess_."

The demon holding her threw her to the ground at Brick's feet. He barked an order at her and she slowly looked up into his crimson glare. He squatted down to her level and lifted her chin, a habit she knew he'd never break.

His face neared hers and on his skin she could see flecks of blood. A malicious grin curled his lips. "You're the last one left, babe, and I intend to finish you off myself." Before she could process what he meant, he took her by the throat and threw her across the room. Her back hit the cement and rocks flew up beside her. She quickly sat up in shock only to find another surprise. The room had transformed into the center of the city and it was as though an asteroid had hit. Buildings had crumbled to the ground in an explosion of fire, the ground was split and dented, littered with debris from the destruction. Even the sky had turned into a dark mauve storm. Her gaze flew to the only other person in the city. He was looking right at her and he didn't just have blood on his face...he was _covered_ in it.

"Brick-" He was in front of her in seconds and she was slammed to the ground before the words could come out. His fist was driven into her face, then her stomach, and her arms were pinned above her head.

"Having fun yet princess?" He picked her up and shot her with an energy beam. She smashed through one of the few buildings that was still standing and came out the other side, watching as the structure collapsed. A cloud of dust blew up around her, hiding her from his sight. She got to her feet and grabbed her throbbing head. He was much stronger than her with his new powers and she had no idea how to fight back. She didn't want to hurt him, but he was going to kill her at this rate. She had to do _something_.

The dust cleared away and she took to the sky. Instantly, he was on her tail.

"What's the matter, princess, scared to fight?"

She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "Stop calling me tha-!" But stopped dead in her tracks. He wasn't there.

_BAM_

Her face connected with his fist again and this time blood dribbled over her lip.

"Aw, babe, you're bleeding." He stuck his hand out to wipe away the blood but she grabbed his wrist and threw him down, hard. He hit the ground and a tremor rippled through the city. She met him in the crater and drove her knee into his throat. He sputtered, pushing her away. She stopped and looked down at him with wide eyes.

"Brick are you o-?"

His crimson glare flashed to hers and then she was flying across town, smashing through countless objects, while being held by the throat hard enough to cut off her air flow. He smashed her head through a window before dragging her high up into the air.

He spoke to her in an amused tone. "See you in hell, babe." And then something sharp pierced through her stomach and a puddle of blood pooled out of her mouth. She gagged on the liquid and grabbed onto Brick's hands, but he threw her off and let her fall to the ground. By the time she reached the cement, she was already gone.

* * *

Her chest shot up as she gulped in a huge breath of fresh air. She grabbed her stomach and sat up, only to find no pain or wound. She rubbed her eyes. She was in the training room, same white walls and floor, no demons in sight...and no Brick. Her stomach may have been fine, but her head ached like she had been stabbed straight through her temple. A groan escaped her lips as she stood. She must've fallen asleep at some point and the simulator automatically stops when a person is either in a critical condition or...sleeping.

'That dream felt so real though.' She shivered and made her way upstairs. She didn't know what time it was and needed to check on her siblings.

The door opened to reveal a silent living room and a clock that read 4 am. The TV was still on but besides that, the room was cast in darkness. She walked over to the couch, presuming that Buttercup had fallen asleep while playing video games, but what she saw made her heart leap. Laying on opposite ends of the couch were the blues and on the floor were the passed out greens. She couldn't hold back the smile that crept onto her lips nor could she push away the warm feeling that filled her stomach. They were all getting along. They were actually getting along. She hadn't been completely certain how things would work out nor if the ruffs could really make it as heroes. But everything was going perfectly, the ruffs were legal heroes, they had a house, they were training and learning, they were now 'friends' with her sisters and-

...and Brick was going to kill them all.

The smile instantly fell and she backed away. Again, her mind began to race with horrible, gruesome thoughts. She snapped off the TV then hurried out the door and into the cool night air. She needed to clear her mind, she needed to go for another walk. There was no way she could sleep in this state. She just hoped Him would leave her alone this time.

So she began down the street, humming to herself to block out the thoughts, but only being able to remember the dream she had just imagined.

Where Brick had...killed her.

_"You're the last one left, babe, and I intend to finish you off myself."_

They were so fucked.


	21. Chapter 21

"Bubbles come on!"

"Hold on I have to finish Boomer's cupcakes!"

"You made cupcakes for-Bubbles what the hell!"

"He made me something last time he was here so I have to return the favor."

"...you're so weird."

Blossom chuckled as she listened to her quarreling sisters. She made her way downstairs and into the kitchen, where she planned to grab a bottle of water before they left. The ruffs had invited them over to their place for the day since lately all of the hangouts had been at the girls' house. Blossom had to admit that she was pretty excited to see how the boys had renovated the place.

"Blossy!" Bubbles gasped at the sight of her auburn haired sister and flashed a bright smile. "I love your outfit!"

Blossom gave her sister a waning smile. "Er, thank you Bubbles." She looked down at herself as her blonde sister returned to the cupcakes. She was only wearing a pink sweater and shorts, something she wore often. Something Bubbles had seen often. She shot a suspicious glance at her sister and grabbed a bottle from the fridge.

"Can we go yet? The boxing match starts at four!" Buttercup shouted from the living room.

"Almost done!" Bubbles called back, placing small flowers on each of the cupcakes.

"Are those edible?" Blossom asked as she watched on.

"Of course! They're just pansies, plenty of people use them on cakes. And these ones-" She held up one of the tiny blue flowers. "-actually has a mild wintergreen flavor. Try it!" She handed it to Blossom and the redhead hesitantly plucked off one of the petals and placed it in her mouth. Bubbles looked at her expectantly.

"I don't taste anything."

Bubbles' shoulders dropped in disappointment. "Your taste buds are dulled down from all of the espresso you drink."

"Better than the amount of sugar you consume in those frappucinos." Blossom retorted.

Bubbles shrugged in response and put the finishing touches on her cupcakes. She closed them into a box and picked it up. "Done."

Blossom nodded. "Alright, let's go before Buttercup blows a fuse."

* * *

"These are sooooo good." Butch moaned out as he stuffed another cupcake into his mouth, eyes closed in ecstasy.

Boomer reached over to take the box. "Hey, those are my cupcakes asshole!"

Butch latched his hands onto the box. "Like hell am I giving these up!"

"Told you those things would do no good." Buttercup stated as she carried in the freshly delivered pizzas. She kicked aside a chair and set the stack on the table, separating the two ruffs.

"Don't you know its bad to fill up on desserts before dinner?" Bubbles poked fun at her pouting counterpart.

He shook his head and leaned further back in his chair. "I couldn't resist. You're-" He cleared his throat hastily. "Er-They're just too good."

A light blush spread across Bubbles' cheeks and Boomer shoved a slice of pizza down his throat.

"Boxing match is starting, everyone shut up." Buttercup ordered before snapping on the TV and grabbing some pizza. Two pairs of emerald eyes immediately became fixated on the television.

Blossom let her gaze drift to the couch, where Brick was sitting. His back was to her and he seemed to be watching the TV, but she saw how tight his shoulders were. Everyone was sitting at the dining room table except for him. She sighed and leaned back into her chair.

"Let's go Steel Knux!"

"Shut up Butch."

The minutes passed by painfully slowly. Every time the clock ticked, Blossom swore another day had gone by. Her nerves were bouncing and her mind was restless, what with Brick sitting a few feet away from her. She wanted to talk to him, but felt her stomach churn at the mere thought of those red irises facing her. She couldn't get the illusions out of her head no matter how hard she tried. So instead she turned her focus to her siblings.

Buttercup and Butch hollered at the TV the whole time, never rooting for the same boxer. Buttercup would chant for one person and Butch would cheer for the other, an argument brewing in their shouts but never taking aim.

The blondes were tied up in their own little conversation and it was quite comical. Boomer tried his hardest to impress his counterpart, lazily tossing his arm across the back of the chair and talking about boxing as though he knew everything about it.

"Yeah, I tried it once but I was just too good. They couldn't put me up against any other boxers because the matches were too short." He said casually.

Bubbles giggled at that.

Blossom rolled her eyes. Of course he was too good, he had superpowers aka super strength. That's why none of them were allowed to compete in any sports. She knew, however, that none of the ruffs had been very social growing up, seeing as they were villains who typically played hide and seek, so she had to give Boomer credit for trying to win over her sister.

"Are you kidding me?! He's a racist asshole, why the hell would you cheer for him!?" They all looked to the greens.

Butch's face was going red and he was on his feet. "Who the hell cares? It's boxing!"

Buttercup jabbed a finger at him. "Of course you wouldn't! You're probably just as ignorant!"

He caught her wrist and threw her hand away with a growl. "What would you know you privileged bitch!?"

"Don't EVER touch me again!" She snarled back at him.

Brick's head swiveled around and Blossom met his gaze.

"Then don't put your nasty ass finger in my goddamn face!"

The first punch was thrown and the two fell to the ground in a tangle. Bubbles and Boomer shot to their feet and yelled at their siblings.

"Buttercup stop!"

"Knock it off Butch!"

But their shouts were ignored. Butch's fist connected with Buttercup's eye and she raked her nails across his cheek.

"GET OFF OF ME YOU RACIST PIECE OF SHIT!" Buttercup bellowed.

Blossom turned away from her counterpart and looked at the fighting teens.

"NOT UNTIL YOU TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAID YOU PSYCHO BITCH!"

Another punch made contact and then there was a deafening roar.

"**ENOUGH!**"

The greens froze and the blues fell into their seats.

Brick's eyes were dark as he glared at them from the couch. All of his muscles were now stiff and a few veins were visible. Butch immediately rolled off of Buttercup and got to his feet, avoiding his brother's eyes. Buttercup followed but looked straight at the red ruff.

"Don't glare at me! Your brother is the one who-!"

Brick shot to his feet so quickly that the couch got knocked back. His eyes narrowed into glowing slits and Buttercup's mouth snapped shut. Butch shot off to his room in a streak of green. Buttercup grumbled under her breath but returned to her seat at the table and ate some more pizza. Bubbles and Boomer looked at each other nervously. Brick's glare found Blossom and she visibly flinched, earning her a confused look from Buttercup. Then he returned to the couch and turned up the volume on the TV.

Buttercup continued to eat the pizza and the blues had some as well, hesitantly returning to their small talk.

Blossom bit her lip and tried to watch the boxing match.

All she could follow along with was that the two men were named Bull Dodger and Gravedigger. The Bull Dodger clearly had a size advantage over the scrawnier Gravedigger, but some damage was still done to the large man. She leaned forward, curious as to who might win. It was the final round. The Gravedigger drove his fist into the Bull Dodger's stomach but his next punch was caught in between his opponents arms at a wrong angle. The man grit his teeth and she watched as the epiphysis of his humerus popped out of it's socket. She winced. He continued to fight, doing the best he could with the only arm he had left. But in the end...he lost.

Just like her.

She stood up as the commercials rolled across the screen and went over to the couch, where she took a seat beside Brick. He looked at her as she folded her hands in her lap.

A tense silence passed between them and then she cleared her throat.

"Why didn't you do anything?" He asked suddenly, speaking quietly so the others wouldn't hear.

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

He turned to her. "When Butch and your sister got in that fight, why did you just sit there?"

Her mouth opened but nothing came out. She didn't know the answer.

"Bloss, are you...okay?"

She blinked in surprise and then shook her head, a look of bewilderment on her face. "Who cares about me, you're the one who we should be talking about." She spoke in a hushed whisper. "Brick, I need you to talk to me. Every time I try to help, you push me away. Why?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I really don't want to talk about this in front of our siblings."

She sighed sadly and moved closer to him. "I just want to know if you're okay."

He took her hand. "And I want to know the same for you."

"Brick..."

An irritated sigh escaped his lips and he pushed his hair out of his face. "I have no idea if I'm okay or not. All I know is that my head is fucked up beyond belief and I'm losing my sanity more and more each day."

She encouraged him gently. "Can you try explaining what it feels like when you get mad?"

He leaned back. "I already have before."

She pushed further. "Then how about what it feels like when you hurt me?"

His face went pale. "Our siblings are right th-"

"They aren't listening to us."

He shook his head. "Bloss, no, I can't-"

"You can, Brick, you have to. I can't help if you don't let me."

He shut his eyes and squeezed her hand. "Okay."

He began to speak and she nodded along as she listened. But then her gaze traveled past his face and out the bay window. A gasp seized her throat.

"-I just want to protect you but how can I? I can't even have a conversation with you anymore without feeling enraged."

His words began to drift from her ears as she stared across the street, straight into the upstairs window of her house...of her room.

"Maybe you're right, talking might help with the anger..."

Brick was sitting right next to her, and standing in her bedroom window.

She couldn't breathe.

It smiled at her and waved.

She clenched her fist at her side.

"I'm honestly scared though, Bloss. What if the next time I hurt you...is the last time?"

How could there be two Bricks? Why was he in her bedroom? Who was that? And why was he staring at her with that creepy smile?

'It's another illusion. Just ignore it.'

But she couldn't. It's red gaze held her in a trance that she couldn't escape.

Red irises flickering with hungry flames ready to devour her and everyone else that caught its glare.

Burning with malevolence and blood lust.

Hiding a devious plan and revealing a demon.

Leaning forward, eager to dispose of her.

To dispose of everyone.

"Er, Bloss?"

She let out a small squeak as she was yanked from the spell and returned her attention to the Brick sitting beside her. "S-sorry, I zoned out for a minute...I must just be tired is all."

"Oh," He hesitantly offered her a shoulder to lean on and she accepted, heart thrumming as she laid her head on his chest. His arm fell across her shoulders. She felt like she was suffocating. "You're okay though?"

She nodded too quickly. "Maybe I'll just take a nap."

"Okay."

Brick's focus returned to the TV, but Blossom couldn't turn her gaze from the glowing red irises across the street, which had gone dark. Her stomach clenched as it sneered at her and she began to shiver.

It's eyes narrowed.

It's teeth barred.

And it just kept staring.

* * *

"He's just so cuuute." Bubbles twirled in a circle as the three girls walked into their home, hearts in her eyes and her head in the clouds. It was a quarter past midnight, they had gotten home later than planned due to the blues' intolerance of being separated.

Buttercup rubbed her tired eyes. "Again, you're so weird."

"Hush, be grateful things are working out so well between us and the ruffs." Bubbles countered, smile never leaving her face.

The green puff threw herself onto the couch and flicked on the TV. "Maybe between you two, but I will never change my mind about Butch. He's a narcissistic asshole."

"And you aren't?" Bubbles questioned with a knowing smirk, leaning over the couch.

Buttercup shot her a glare. "We may be counterparts but we are not the same person."

Bubbles nodded. "No, you're right. You aren't the same person. But you're still a narcissistic a-hole."

"NO I'M-you know what, I'm too tired for this shit." Buttercup gave her sister the finger before closing her eyes and drifting off to the sound of the television.

Bubbles chuckled at her victory before disappearing into the kitchen. "Blossy, do you want a glass of milk? It's going to expire soon so we need to use it up."

Said puff blinked herself out of a daze and quickly cleared her throat. "Yes, please, and can you add some honey?" She needed all the help she could get with falling asleep tonight.

"Of course!" Came the chipper response.

Blossom took a moment to slap herself back to reality, doing her best to shut out all of the thoughts of Brick for the time being. The stress was seriously getting to her. She constantly found herself slipping out of reality and into the nightmares she feared would come true and now was not the time to be off her game, she had to figure something out, fast.

"Here you go." Bubbles appeared before her with a large mug of sweet smelling cream. Blossom offered her sister a smile and accepted the drink. But before she could go upstairs, Bubbles asked her a question. "Blossy, you've seemed off today...more so than usual...and you've been really tired all of the time. Are things with Brick getting worse?"

Bubbles azure eyes shimmered up at her and she sighed. "No, he hasn't changed much since his last outburst but I'm getting more and more worried each second. Its stressful, is all, trying to figure out a solution." Her sisters gaze turned into one of fear and Blossom quickly added, "But I'm the leader and I'm not going to fail, its my job to figure out a plan and I will. I really do appreciate your care and help though, Bubbles. It's making this whole thing a little more...bearable."

The dazzling smile returned. "Oh, Blossy, of course I'm going to help you. You're my sister, I love you and want you to be safe. Buttercup does too and I'm sure she would want to know about all of this." A tilt of the head. "You are going to tell her, right?"

Blossom forced a sip of milk down her throat and rubbed her temple. "I am, I just don't know when." Her head began to throb as images of a red figure standing in her room reappeared and she groaned. "Bubs, could we continue this talk in the morning? I'm exhausted."

Bubbles gasped. "Oh right! I'm sorry. Yes, yes we can talk about this tomorrow. You go get some well deserved rest."

Blossom chuckled. "Goodnight Bu-" The blue puff suddenly threw her arms around her sister in a loving embrace, cutting off Blossom's words.

"Goodnight Blossy, I love you."

The pink puff hugged her sister back with a smile. "I love you too."

As soon as Bubbles returned to the kitchen, Blossom made her way upstairs. But the second her foot touched the first step, she felt a heavy weight fall onto her chest. Her heart pounded the entire way to her room, and by the time she fell onto her bed she was sick to her stomach. How? How was it possible that she could see another Brick? It couldn't have been Him, she hadn't seen him since the night in the cave. So then what was it? Was it her? Was she going insane? She pulled her sleeve up in order to gaze at the two hideous scars. One around her wrist and one around her arm. They were real, just as real as Brick's clone. Right?

She turned to the window. There was no one there now, but there had been. What if he was still in her room? The thought made her instantly shoot to her feet and begin searching. She threw open her closet door and pushed aside the layers of clothing. As soon as she did so, a smell hit her nose and she frowned. Something akin to sulfur and...mold?

Wait...

A tall shadow fell over her and a dark voice spoke.

"It was an illusion."

She quickly whipped around with her fists up, ready to fight, and then saw who was standing in her room.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't act so surprised."

She dropped her arms. "You're back."

The lofty demon nodded, "Unfortunately, yes." And began to walk around her room, picking at her bedsheets and curtains with distaste. "It's especially unfortunate that I had to come here. You really need to mix in some other colors. The pink is just overwhelming."

Blossom watched him with a glimmer of hope, completely ignoring his insult to her decorating. "Him, I need your help."

He waved her off. "Yes, I can certainly tell. Some black could really change this room, maybe a black table or dresser...or some drapes with-"

Her patience was already thinning. "I'm talking about Brick."

His bored gaze moved to hers. "Of course you are." He growled and took a seat on her bed. "Brick this, Brick that, you really are in love." He wrinkled his nose. "Disgusting."

She folded her arms. "Can you stop insulting me for five seconds?"

He tapped his chin thoughtfully and then shrugged. "Most likely not. You're a very vulnerable person and it's unbelievably easy to belittle you."

Her teeth clenched. "No it's not."

He raise a painted eyebrow "Oh? Enlighten me."

She stormed over to her door and turned the lock before biting back at him, "Times running out. Brick is going to destroy everything like you said if we don't figure out a way to save him soon. So cut the crap and tell me how to help him."

Him rolled his neck and pinched his nose in between a claw before groaning. "Alright, fine. But you need to listen closely because Brick is not our only problem."

Blossom sat on the window ledge and leaned forward to listen. "Okay."

With a sigh, the demon began to explain. "The reason why Brick is turning, as I've told you before, is because it's too much power for one person with his composition to hold. Therefore, the only way to fix him would be to divide the powers. Split them so that Brick is left with only a small portion that his body _can_ contain."

The pink puff blinked but did not say a word. It made perfect sense to divide the powers, however she still worried that even a small portion could affect Brick.

"Some nightmares and difficulties learning how to control his new powers, nothing painful or fatal." Him answered.

She kept forgetting that he could read her mind and it still bothered her. "But how do you divide them?" She asked.

He opened his hand and an IV appeared, it's long tube that hung from his claw dripping with blood. Her eyes momentarily flashed with horror and then she understood. "A blood transfusion!"

The IV vanished and the demon stood. "Yes, but it can only be done with someone who has the same blood type as him. And in order to properly distribute the amount of powers, it must be done with two other people. Through the transfusion, the other people will get the same powers and nightmares, but no demonic possession."

Blossom nodded, the motion inducing a head ache which she tried to ignore. "I get it...although I don't know Brick's blood type, how am I going to find a match?"

The demon sitting in front of her began to blur and she rubbed her eyes. Was she really that deprived of sleep?

"...were created together so it would only make sense."

She shook her head, "What did you say?"

Now his words sounded a mile away and broken. She squinted as hard as she could. Had Mr. Mime returned and erased the color from the world again? Because everything was gray, slowly turning black. Shapes were becoming muted and blending together. She couldn't find Him in the disaster. So she covered her eyes and listened for his voice.

"Br-t-s...t-ee...one th-d...s-m b-d type." He was too quiet. It was as though a static had filled her head.

A whisper suddenly brushed against her left ear, soft and familiar. _"They're all against you."_

She searched for Him's voice.

_"Nobody understands your sacrifice."_

The whisper became louder and she attempted to block it out.

_"Show them the same respect."_ But wait...she knew that voice. Confident but sweet, thick with gentle authority. Who was it? "_Teach them how a queen punishes her subjects."_

And then the dark hiss of a demon's tongue broke through the whispers and met her ears,

"You've been tainted as well."

And once again, everything turned black and she collapsed to the ground.


	22. Chapter 22

The figure danced around her, dipping in and out of the shadows as it manipulated the light to create illusions that made her head spin. The constant movement gave her motion sickness. The flashing lights burned her eyes. Two red orbs floated in front of her, followed her, everywhere she went. She shielded her gaze but could still see them. They invaded her thoughts tirelessly, a nightmare that ceased to end. She could feel a darkness coming. It felt like they were near a climax, in the middle of a story where the action had slowed and a terrible ending was closing in. The figure moved into her line of sight and she jumped away with a screech. There was no face or body, no details, just an outline filled in with black. But she knew the outline. She swore she did. It leaped out again except this time it caught her by the shoulders and threw her back. A scream split the silence and there was a heavy thud as her chest hit the stiff, hard...bed?

"EEK!" She jolted up so fast that her neck cracked and she groaned in pain. Her heart was still racing from the dream. "Not again..." She muttered and slumped back down with a whimper, shoving her face into the pillow. Ever since last weeks run in with Him, she had been suffering from the same nightmares every night. And every time it was the same thing: a black figure trying to distract her from the red glare that wouldn't leave her alone. The most terrifying part of the dream was the familiarity she felt. The eyes were Brick's, that was obvious. But the black figure seemed like someone she should know...someone she saw everyday...and yet she couldn't put her finger on it.

_BZZZZ_

_BZZZZ_

"Shit." She tore herself out of bed and searched for her phone in the darkness, feeling for it's vibration. When she finally found it, she put the blinding white screen to her face and squinted at the message.

_Bank robbery on Cherish St. _

_5 masked robbers sighted at 4:00 am seen entering New Town bank, one firearm spotted, explosives used to break in, no hostages, no citizen involvement_

_Currently inside building at 4:15 am, no one has exited_

Blossom narrowed her eyes. A bank robbery? At 4 in the morning? And the police couldn't handle it? She clenched her fists and let out a resilient growl before hurrying into the hallway.

"Girls get up!" She pounded her knuckles against both of their doors until they opened. She didn't want to wake them up for such a minor crime but they had vowed to always go together, and she didn't want to break that promise.

The first door to open revealed a surly, half-asleep brunette who sauntered out in only a t-shirt. 

"Ugh what now?" Buttercup muttered as she stumbled into the hallway, trying her best to rub the sleep from her eyes.

Bubbles followed behind, just as miserable.

"Bank robbery." Blossom stated coarsely, already heading downstairs.

"Are you fucking kidding me!?" Buttercup roared, thoughtlessly throwing her fist into the nearest object which happened to be Blossom's bedroom door. The wood split and her fist went straight through it. Blossom spun around. Buttercup bit her lip. "Uhh...my bad."

The pink puff shot a scornful glare at her sister. "Thanks Buttercup."

The three of them took off to the bank, still clothed in their pajamas, and without the ruffs. Lately, Blossom hadn't been letting the ruffs tag along, purely because of Brick. Not only did she worry that he might get hurt but she also didn't want any civilians to get caught up in the mess. She knew it made him feel bad but it was just too risky. He had, however, been training vigorously everyday. His efforts were acknowledged but the results were...well...less than hoped for. In other words; Brick hadn't made any progress. She wanted to help him, everyone did, but there was nothing they could do. Not until she figured out what Him's words meant. A blood transfusion, but with who? Who could have the same blood type as Brick? Hell she didn't even _know_ his blood type. But she would figure it out. She had to.

"God damnit, not these idiots again." Buttercup groaned as she tossed her head back.

They stopped in front of the bank, all three of their faces dropped as a group of green skinned teenagers waltzed out the front door with sacks of cash thrown over their shoulders. A huge, shit eating grin stretched the tallest one's face and then he looked up at them. He pushed down his sunglasses. Buttercup cracked her knuckles.

"What's up asshole?"

The sack fell from his hand.

"Fuck."

* * *

_Blood Transfusion- a procedure in which the blood or blood products of one person are transferred to another person's circulatory system through a vein_

_Mild complications induced by an allergic reaction include fever, hives, itching, racing heart, shortness of breath, chills, and low blood pressure_

_Serious complications include hemolysis, blood borne infections, and Graft-versus-host disease_

Blossom narrowed her eyes at the laptop screen as she read through the multiple articles, searching and scrolling endlessly in order to find an answer.

"What about a matching blood type?" She tapped in her question and began to scavenge.

_Hemolytic transfusion reaction- a reaction that occurs when a person is given a blood transfusion with blood that doesn't match their own. A person's immune system will attack these foreign red blood cells (hemolysis) and destroy them. This can be fatal._

"So how the hell do I figure out his blood type?" She groaned and dropped her face into her hands. She had never been very good with science, it was always math and english that she thrived in. Very unlike her father...

"We're baaack!" Bubbles' sing-song shout rang through the house as she threw open the door and bounced in, forcing Blossom to put a smile on her face.

"Did you have fun on your-?" Her words faded away as another blonde head followed into the house. Blossom's smile faltered. 'No, no, no. Please don't be hanging out here, I have so much research to do! Please no."

Boomer offered a shy wave and Blossom returned it.

Bubbles grinned. "Don't worry Blossy! We aren't going to interrupt your studies, I just came home to grab a few things before we go to the movies."

A silent sigh of relief left Blossom's lips and the smile reappeared. "Well that's nice, what movie are you seeing?"

"The new version of Romeo and Juliet!" Bubbles giggled happily and winked at the apprehensive ruff. She then glanced down at her dress and pulled a face before disappearing up the stairs. "I'll only be a minute, Boomie!"

Blossom's eyebrow shot up and she turned to the other blonde. "Boomie?"

He chuckled nervously. "Heh, yeah..." He glanced upstairs, seeming to search for her sister, and a hot blush overtook his face.

Blossom followed his gaze but Bubbles was locked away in her room, out of sight. She furrowed her brows at the ruff. "Everything okay Boomer?"

His hands began to fidget rapidly and he wrung them together, chest rising a little more heavily. "Er...no...not at all." And then he rushed to the seat beside her and turned to her with horror in his eyes. She flinched back at the insane amount of fear. "Blossom, we have a problem. A really bad problem."

Her stomach dropped and she prepared herself for something concerning Brick. "Tell me."

His jaw clenched and he looked to the stairs once more. "I think...I think I like your sister."

Wait...

What?

She blinked at him. "You...like Bubbles?"

He crossed his arms and stared at the blank television, face pale as the moon. "Yeah, I do. I really, really do."

She put a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh and Boomer turned even redder, if that was even possible.

"Oh yeah, its just so funny. Laugh away." He grumbled angrily.

She shook her head, "No, I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at you. I just thought it was funny that you're coming to me for relationship advice now."

He scoffed but said nothing.

"Boomer, I'm not making fun of your feelings. I think its great that you're finally becoming friends with someone, especially my sister. You shouldn't be afraid of it." 'Actually I'm just relieved that nothing bad happened to Brick.' But she didn't mention that aloud.

He glanced up at her. "But I've never had friends before much less a...crush. I have no idea what to do. What if these feelings are wrong? What if she doesn't like me? What if its too soon? What if I ruin everything? What if she actually hates me and these feelings I have are making me weak?"

Blossom put her hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Boomer, listen to me. No one ever knows what to do when they get their first crush, but as I've told you before: we all make mistakes. My sister knows that and would never _ever_ judge you for something like this. She's a forgiving person, you aren't going to ruin anything. Whether or not she likes you and when is too soon is up to you two, but a crush does not make you weak. Brick fell in love with me and almost died but does that make him any weaker?"

He shook his head. "It made him stronger."

She nodded, "Right and because of-"

Oh my god.

She concealed a gasp.

Brick fell in love with her and almost died. Boomer is falling in love with Bubbles. His body is not made to withstand love. Boomer is going to get sick and...die... . Brick. 'B-but Him's heart is gone...' Her eyes went wide. She parted her lips.

"The same blood type."

Boomer's face twisted. "Huh?"

She shot to her feet. "The same blood type! It's you!" She pointed at him. "You and Butch, three people with the same blood type! I know how to save Brick!"

Boomer got up. "Really?!"

She nodded and scooped up her laptop before hurrying to the door. "Tell Bubbles to hurry up, I have to go tell Brick."

Boomer stepped forward. "Wait tell me how-!"

But she was already gone.

* * *

She couldn't believe it. She had actually figured it out. She knew how to save Brick. Everything could go back to normal! Everyone could be happy. But god, how stupid had she been? Of course it was his brothers, who else would have the same blood type? What an idiot. It was a good thing that she knew how to save Brick because the stress was deteriorating her mind and she didn't know how much more she could take. That didn't matter now, though, because she was going to get Brick back to normal.

She rapped her knuckles against the door before entering, her excitement overtaking her patience.

"Brick!" The kitchen was empty but she saw the television on and figured Butch was home, so she went to see. "Butch?"

There was no one in the living room either. Odd. Butch rarely ever left the house, same with Brick, especially with his new...problem.

"Hello?" She called at the base of the stairs. Nothing. Her phone began to buzz in her pocket and she pulled it out to see a text from Buttercup.

_BC: The idiot and I ran into each other at the arcade so we're hanging out for a bit. Don't know when I'll be back._

So that explained why Butch wasn't home. But where could Brick possibly be?

And then a sigh of hot air slithered down her neck and a hand grabbed hers.

"What the hell are you doing here?" His voice was deep and malicious and he wrenched her back to face him. His gaze was just as ferocious.

But she wasn't afraid. She had a cure.

"We have to go to the hospital." Her words seemed to trigger something and he dug his nails into her wrist. She tried to pull her hand away. "A blood transfusion, we have to do a blood transfusion and-GAH!" The sound of sizzling skin matched her scream as she tore herself away from him, grasping her singed arm.

"Oh I get it. You're going to try to disperse Him's powers between me and my brothers so this demon in my head will go away, right? Well that's not happening." He sneered in her face.

She held herself a distance away from him. "Brick we have to hurry before its too late, we don't have time for fighting right now. Please just come with me."

The growl that escaped his throat was not human and those eyes did not belong to Brick. 'My god...' Those eyes belonged to a demon, a sadistic, bloodthirsty, raving demon straight from hell. The same one that was taking over his body.

She stared straight into the dark glare, feeling herself fall towards the empty pits that had replaced his red irises. No, he only had pupils now. Black, terrifying, huge pupils that were filling his eyes. She took a step back.

"Brick we need to go."

He sulked towards her.

"We can fix this. All of it. Bring things back to the way they were." She couldn't move. "Don't you want that?"

No answer.

"We can be happy."

Closer.

"We can be safe."

He was in front of her.

"Let me help you."

A slimy grin curled his lips.

"B-Brick?"

His hand shot out and blast of energy threw her across the room. She smashed through the wall and into the kitchen, rolling to a stop beside the table. He strode in after her with his hands in his pockets and she grabbed one of the legs.

"Princess-"

_BAM_

The table shattered and fell to the ground in millions of wooden slivers, revealing a very pleased demon.

Brick's grin was wide.

"You're going to play this time?" He cooed.

She threw her hair into a ponytail and tightened it with a yank. She was done with the bullshit, it was time to fix things. "Well, I'm quite literally going to beat the devil out of you, so yeah..." She raised her fists. "Let's play asshole."

He released a delighted chuckle before swinging his fist towards her stomach. She jumped away and kicked his legs out from under him. He was back up in seconds and blasted her with his eye beams. Her arms went over her face to deflect them. Then she dropped to the ground, dodging a flying kick. As she was getting up, a heel connected with her throat and pinned her back down.

"You look amazing like this, babe." Even his voice was changing. It wavered between pitches just like Him's and that terrified her.

She lifted her legs as high as they would go and drove them into Brick's torso. He stumbled back from the kick, freeing her throat. She was on her feet instantly and fired an energy burst at him. He swatted it away like nothing and rushed at her. She tried to block his punch but he was too quick and her head flew back from the impact. Another hit connected with her cheek and the skin split, sending a gush of blood down her face. She wiped the liquid from her mouth with a snarl. Brick watched with glee.

He wasn't even trying. He had dark magic, he could read her mind, he could shape shift, and create illusions...but he wasn't using any of that. He was having fun and taking his time.

"This isn't a joke." She hissed.

He only chuckled and drove his elbow into her throat. She bent over with a gasp, only for his knee to come straight up and connect with her nose. She stumbled into the wall and spit a glob of blood onto the ground.

He wasn't trying and yet he was winning.

An energy beam shot her through the wall and she flew over the couch, head meeting the television. The glass screen shattered over her before another blast threw her into the window. She grabbed onto the window sill and looked down at her crimson arm. She was panting, gasping for air, and could feel the aches and pains all throughout her body. He was too strong.

"Oh come on, princess, you can do better than that." His thick voice filled her head but she couldn't find him. She pushed herself off the window sill and staggered forward. Her patience was gone.

The house was a mess. Two walls had been destroyed and one had a large crater in it. The table was demolished, the TV gone, glass and wood littered the ground, and cracks split the floor. Maybe if she could get into a larger area she might have a chance. She just needed to lure him away and to do that she would have to find him.

The living room and kitchen were empty so she began up the stairs, which surprisingly hadn't been destroyed yet.

"Daw, you're bleeding."

She spun around. She swore the voice came from behind her.

"Don't worry, princess, it'll be over soon."

No, he was behind one of the doors. She slowed her pace and crept down the hallway. She placed her hand on the first doorknob and pushed it open.

Nothing.

"Aren't you supposed to be smart?"

"Shut up." She growled.

Her fingers brushed the second door but she paused.

"Don't you know how illusions work?"

He was behind her. His voice was behind her and yet no one was there.

"Don't you know anything?" His dark chuckle bounced off the walls and came from everywhere. She shivered.

"You _are_ behind me, aren't you?"

And then she felt his hot breath slide down her neck again before a pair of hands wrapped around her throat. He slammed her into the wall hard enough to break it before tossing her down the staircase. She hit the ground, hard, and coughed up blood. He strode down the stairs after her, eyes pinned on her. She began to crawl away, as fast as she could.

"I always thought you were fearless." He spoke.

Her legs scrambled to push her back.

"Strong."

A shard of glass pierced her palm and she cried out.

"Intelligent."

She ignored the pain and continued to back away.

"And beautiful."

Another stream of blood stained the carpet.

"But now I'm starting to see through your mask."

He stood over her and she reached out to make a final attempt but he caught her fist. He dropped down to his knees and pinned her arms above her head. She trembled as his nose brushed over hers.

"You're scared, Blossom. You've always been scared. Scared that the world, your sisters, my brothers, and me will discover your fault." Something rigid touched her neck. "That you are _weak_."

The trembling overtook her body as she watched him put a piece of glass to her trachea, his crimson gaze burning with hate.

"Brick, no. Don't do this. I can help you, I-I can. We're so close, just hang on a little longer. Fight it, Brick, please." Her voice was even shaking.

The glass cut through it's first layer and the hot blood that dribbled down her throat terrified her.

"Brick. Brick please."

He wasn't listening.

The pressure was too great, he was going to slice straight through, she was going to die. He was going to kill her. She'd never be able to save him. She couldn't let that happen. No. She had to do something.

"Brick." She looked straight into his dark gaze and refused to let her voice quiver as she spoke, "Forgive me." And then she tore her arms from his grip with all the strength she had left before grabbing his head and crushing his lips to hers. His grip on the shard instantly faltered and she slammed her knee into his groin. He hissed in pain and collapsed to his side, releasing her. She jumped to her feet and ran into the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around the fridge and yanked it out of the wall. When she turned around, Brick was there. He shot towards her at an alarming speed. She held her breath, lifted the fridge over her head, and brought it down as hard as she possibly could.

_CRACK_

It broke into two. Brick dropped to the ground in an unconscious heap, his head already bleeding. She let the split refrigerator fall from her grasp. Fear threatened to rise up her throat but she shoved it back down. She had no time to hesitate. She pulled out her phone and put it to her ear.

It was time to bring Brick back.

"Get your asses over here right now, we need to go to the hospital."


	23. Chapter 23

"GET THE _FUCK_ OUT OF THE WAY!"

"Shit! Butch!"

The green ruff smashed through the front doors with a thunderous roar and Blossom hurried after him, Boomer pulling up behind her with an unconscious Brick in his arms, and her sisters following in the back. Butch shoved a startled nurse out of the way and kicked a stretcher into the wall.

"Where the hell am I going?!" He called to her.

She called out an apology to the nurse before reaching Butch's side. She pointed to the end of the hallway where it split into a T. "Left and then you'll see a sign that says Labs, right under that is a door."

He nodded and shot off at record breaking speed. She turned around and shouted to Boomer. "Hurry, we don't know how much longer he'll be out!"

The blue ruff immediately sprinted to her and they both took off after Butch.

"We need to make sure he doesn't kill the damn doctor." Blossom hissed as they hurried around the corner and nearly took out a patient. "Sorry!"

"What the hell do we need a doctor for!?" Boomer jumped around another pedestrian.

Blossom didn't have a chance to glare at him as they ran into the lab, the door having been kicked off it's hinges. "Because I don't know anything about blood transfusions and I'm pretty sure neither you nor Butch specialize in anatomy."

Boomer shrugged in response before they both ran into the room labeled 'Blood Transfusion' and found Butch panting like a wild animal. Fortunately, that door was still intact.

"Am I in the right room?" He asked.

Blossom glanced around at the white walls, tubes, vials, and IVs and nodded. "Now we need a doctor."

"Already on it!" Buttercup and Bubbles burst into the room and a very pale doctor stumbled in behind them. He looked up with wide eyes, petrified.

Blossom grimaced. "I'm sorry about the commotion, Dr. Rudish, I promise I'll fix it...but we really need your help. We need to perform a blood transfusion between these three." She pointed to the ruffs and their faces instantly fell, as did the doctor's.

Butch's jaw dropped. "Us?!"

Blossom bit her lip guiltily. "Yes, unfortunately, you're the only people who share the same blood type as Brick so it has to be you."

"You couldn't have told us this sooner?" Butch growled.

Boomer rubbed his arm nervously. "Can't just one of us do it?"

She shook her head sadly.

"A-alright," The doctor spoke up, doing his best to remain calm. "I'll get the materials. You three will need to be seated-" His eyes fell on Brick, who was still unconscious.

"Its best that he stays out." Blossom explained and the doctor nodded wearily before hurrying off to grab the equipment.

"Is it going to hurt?" Boomer asked as Blossom took Brick from his arms so that he could sit down.

She carefully placed Brick into his own chair. "It shouldn't, and I doubt it will, but we're talking about dark magic and superhuman blood...so anything could happen."

The blonde's eyes widened forebodingly and Bubbles placed a hand on his shoulder. "Its okay though, we're all right here and the doctor will know exactly what to do should anything bad happen."

Blossom nodded. "Yes. Whats a little pain if it means saving your brother's life?"

Boomer didn't say anything but the fear slowly melted away from his expression.

"What the hell even is a blood transfusion?!" Butch suddenly shouted, throwing his arms up.

Buttercup grabbed his arm and tried to pull him to the chair. "Just shut up and sit do-"

"It means simply what it's called: a transferring of blood." All heads turned to the returned doctor as he carried in a handful of tools. He set them down on the counter and began washing them, a new sense of serenity overtaking the professional.

"I mean no disrespect Doctor, but we _really_ don't have time for-"

"IS THAT A SCALPEL!?"

Blossom shot a glare at the interrupting ruff. "No, Butch, it's a blood lancet."

Buttercup slapped a hand over her counterpart's mouth before he could respond.

Boomer winced. "A blood what?"

"Lancet." The doctor repeated. "It's used to test the hemoglobin levels in your blood."

"Homo goblin?" Boomer flashed a look at Bubbles. "Why would that be in my blood?"

Blossom sighed. "Boomer, it's pronounced hemoglobin. It's the protein in your red blood cells."

There was a snort. "How do you know that? I thought you were shit at science." Buttercup folded her arms, remaining at Butch's side in order to supervise him.

"I was reading up on blood transfusions for a while, but I still suck at science." Blossom stated and turned to the doctor with a grim look. "I know sanitation is important but we have to do this now. We don't have time to waste."

Dr. Rudish nodded and pulled the IV poles over, setting one beside each ruff. "Doing a transfusion between three people is unheard of and not the best idea, are you sure-"

"There's no other option." Blossom stated quickly.

The doctor flinched but continued preparing the boys. He wrapped a band around all of their arms directly above their inner elbows before bringing the IVs over.

"Alright, young man, since you're seated on the left, I'm going to start with you. So hold both arms out for me." The doctor approached Butch and the ruff took a deep breath.

"This ain't nothin' right? Like a flu shot? Like that cootie shot we got?"

The doctor gave Butch an odd look. "Cootie shot...?"

Blossom jumped in. "Yes, it's exactly like that Butch. You won't even feel it. Quick and small."

Butch snorted. "Since when were we talking about Boomer?"

"Hey!" Said ruff narrowed his eyes at his brother.

Butch flashed him a wide grin then turned back to the doctor. "So when are you gonna do it-oh." Both IVs had already been slid into either of his arms. He reached for one of the long tubes connected to them. "Hey what the hell is this?"

Buttercup slapped his hand away. "Stay still and don't mess with it."

Butch sneered. "Sorry mom."

The green puff opened her mouth but was quickly silenced by a sharp glare from Blossom.

"Now I need you to pump your fists so that the blood will-" The doctor couldn't even finish his sentence before Butch's fist went flying into the air, nearly punching the doctor right in the face, and tearing out one of the IVs in the process. Blossom snatched his arms and slammed them down with a hiss.

"Not like that!"

Butch glared. "How the hell else do I pump my fists?"

Blossom put her hand out and showed him by curling and uncurling her fingers. Butch frowned but mimicked her. The doctor put his IV back in before moving on to Brick.

Once all of the boys were set, the doctor turned a switch on each of their IVs and they watched as blood instantly flowed through the tubes. Boomer's eyes were wide as the blood from Brick's tube drifted towards his arm and he clenched his fist.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck." He stiffened as the blood reached his vein and he stayed like that for a moment, teeth grit.

"Boomer?" Bubbles whispered gently, hovering by his side.

The blue ruff blinked and glanced down at his arm. "It doesn't feel like anything...?"

The doctor folded his hands as he stood in front of the boys, surveying each of them. "So far so good, everything is going smoothly. I suppose them being triplets allows for an easy transfusion." His brows knit together.

Blossom approached him. "What's wrong?"

His jaw tightened. "Well, the police were alerted upon your entry. We couldn't see who had broken in, so we didn't know it was you girls. Someone will have to explain this to them or else they'll break in here..."

Blossom's eyes flickered to Brick and her heart clenched. "But who will talk to them? I can't leave. And I think it's best that my sisters stay as well."

The doctor nodded. "Of course, that is why I would suggest having myself talk to them and explain the situation. However, I'm anxious to leave the boys like this without proper supervision."

Blossom tapped her chin. "Well, you did say things were going smoothly and I see no reason as to why things should change. I do know a few things about a blood transfusion and what to do should anything bad happen...perhaps you could give me a quick run down of what to do when the transfusion is finished?"

Dr. Rudish blinked. "Oh, yes! Surely. Since this transfusion is being done not for a lack of blood but for...well, whatever it is you're doing this for...it will take around one hour, no less. Based on your reason for this transfusion I suppose there could also be other signs that tell you the transfusion is complete but time would be my suggestion. So, once they are done you will first twist the switch on the IV to the off position. Next, you will carefully remove the bands around their biceps and then the IVs, quickly covering the puncture wound with a wad of cotton that you will tape to their arm with surgical tape. They may need rest or water, and they could become dizzy, nauseas, or faint. Take it easy for the rest of the day." He spoke the last part to the boys. "If anything bad happens, there is a call button-" He pointed to the wall where the object was located. "Although I can't assure you that anyone will answer. It's quite a calamity out there."

Blossom smiled. "Thank you, I really do appreciate all of your help and I do again apologize for the disturbance." She grabbed a slip of paper from the counter and scribbled something down. She handed it to the doctor. "My signature, to prove that we're actually in here."

Dr. Rudish gave a curt nod and said his goodbye to the girls and boys before hurrying off, closing the door behind him, and blocking out the noise that was about to erupt.

"What the hell did you do that for!?" Buttercup shouted at her auburn haired sister.

Boomer trembled. "Oh god now theres no doctor. No one knows what the fuck they're doing."

Blossom pinched her nose. "I had no choice, he had to go to the cops."

Butch's knees bobbed up and down. "Shit man, I didn't sign up for this."

"Don't worry, Boomer." Bubbles forced a smile and tried to comfort her terrified counterpart. "It's going to be okay, I'm right here. And Blossy knows what to do, right Bloss?"

All eyes were suddenly on her. She cleared her throat nervously. "Yes, yes I know what to do. But I need both of you boys to calm down, your heart is already working hard to pump the blood flowing in and out of your body right now, you can't risk raising your heart rate anymore or you could suffer a heart attack."

Butch relaxed slightly at her words but the color from Boomer's face drained. "A heart attack? You never said anything about a heart attack earlier!"

"No, no, no. I only mean to protect you, it's not likely that you'll have a heart attack seeing as we're genetically stronger but everything will continue more smoothly if you calm down." Blossom reassured him.

Bubbles knelt down. "We're all here to keep you safe, you and your brothers are going to do this together okay Boomie?"

The blonde's soft words reached Boomer's ears and he seemed to finally relax.

Buttercup sat down on the floor with a sigh. "I am beyond confused right now."

Blossom met her sister's gaze. "I know, I meant to tell you sooner. I just couldn't find the right time."

Buttercup's piercing lime glare centered on her. "So are you going to tell me now? Seeing as we have nothing better to do."

The pink puff slid down to the floor with a similar sigh. "I suppose. But where do I start?"

"How 'bout with why the hell Brick's unconscious right now."

Blossom looked at her counterpart and bit her lip. "Well, he sort of tried to kill me."

Buttercup's eyes closed.

She breathed in.

Her eyes reopened.

And she leaned forward.

"**WHAT!?**"

* * *

Buttercup was dumbfounded, her jaw slack and her eyes glazed with confusion. She put her hands to her temples. "Holy shit."

Blossom shut her eyes and let her head fall back. "It's a lot, I know."

"So Brick's being possessed by Him's demonic powers and because of that he tried to kill you so you knocked him unconscious with a fucking refrigerator and just magically knew that the way to save him was through a risky ass blood transfusion with his brothers and so now here we are." The green puff ran her fingers down her face. "This day couldn't get any weirder."

There was a murmur from beside her, "Knock on wood."

Buttercup looked up at her counterpart and for once her eyes didn't narrow in disgust. She rested her chin in her hands. "How you feeling?"

His head rolled to the side as he glanced at his brothers and then turned back to her. "Bored as fuck."

She nodded. "Me too."

He shifted himself so that he was sitting up and gestured towards the TV in the corner of the room. "Maybe they have ESPN?"

Buttercup smirked. "I like the way you think."

Blossom got to her feet in sync with her sister but went to her counterpart instead of the TV. She knelt in front of him and surveyed the unconscious boy. His head was slumped forward, nestled into his chest, and his skin was flushed as well as hot to the touch. Blood speckled his bruised hands which both had IVs in them. Brick had been given four IVs in total so that he would be both receiving and giving blood to Butch and Boomer. She brushed her fingers over his arm. His veins near the puncture points were pulling against his skin, turning the skin almost translucent and making the arteries very apparent. She prayed that Him had been telling her the truth. Because if Brick didn't come out of this alive, she didn't know what she would do.

She leaned forward and reached her hand out to push the hair from his eyes. When would he wake up? What would they do if he woke up during the transfusion? What would happen? What if they had to-

_BAM_

_SCREEEEE_

"Boomer!"

Blossom's head snapped to the side as the chair beside her reared back and she shot out to grab it but gasped upon seeing the blue ruff. Bubbles had hooked her arms under his armpits in order to keep him on the chair but he was shaking uncontrollably in a consistent manner and his eyes had rolled into the back of his head. Blossom jumped to her feet.

"Blossy whats happening?!" Bubbles cried out as she struggled with the seizing boy.

She rushed over to help and immediately placed a hand against Boomer's forehead. Then she put her fingers to his neck to feel for a heart beat when something wet touched her arm.

"Blossy!"

Her gaze flicked up to see blood running down Boomer's chin. "It's a nose bleed. He has a fever and his heart rate is way too high." Red drool pooled over the corners of his mouth. "This has to be a reaction from Him's blood." Her gaze traveled to the IVs and followed the tubes to the blood bag and then to Brick. "Shit, the doctor set this up wrong! Boomer isn't giving any blood to Brick, he's only receiving it. He's getting too much. How did no one notice this!?"

"What!? Is he going to die?!"

"Blossy what do we do!?"

"Don't let my brother die!"

"Butch you aren't helping!"

"Blossy! It's getting worse!"

Heat rushed to the pink puff's face and she felt her heart thrum against her ribs. "Bubbles, hold him still! Buttercup, I need a cotton ball and tape NOW!" Bubbles changed positions and grabbed Boomer by the shoulders, pushing him firmly back against the chair, as still as she could. Blossom pinned Boomer's wrist down and turned the switch on the IV off. Buttercup ran over and handed her sister the materials. "Buttercup hold his arm down." The green puff did so and Blossom was quick to put the cotton ball on top of the needle before carefully easing it out. She then wrapped the tape around Boomer's arm multiple times to keep the cotton in place. Buttercup released his arm but Boomer's shaking didn't cease and blood was now on his neck. "Tissues, Buttercup, quickly."

"Got it!" She darted off.

Blossom removed one of Brick's IVs as well before she moved on to the Boomer's other arm. She needed to change it so that Boomer would be giving blood rather than receiving it. She turned off the switches on both Brick's and Boomer's IVs before pinching the end of Boomer's tube and disconnecting it from the blood bag.

"What do I do with the tissues?" Buttercup asked.

"Nose." Blossom snapped and removed Brick's tube from the bag with the same method. She then reconnected the tubes but in different ends so that the bag would fill with Boomer's blood instead of Brick's. She turned both IVs back to the on position and stepped back. Blood immediately sprayed from Boomer's tube into the bag and down into Brick's IV. Sure she was covered in blood, but it worked. She wiped the sweat from her brow with a relieved sigh.

"Is he going to be okay now?" Bubbles whimpered, still holding onto her counterpart who's seizing had finally calmed. His body was still twitching rapidly but the bleeding had stopped and his chair had stilled.

Blossom wiped her hands on her pants with a dignified nod. "He's going to be just fine...as for the floor-" She loured as her eyes fell to the crimson stained tiles. "I'm not so sure."

"Um dumbass? Hello? Earth to Butch?"

Both girls' heads snapped to the side at the sound of their green sibling. Buttercup was trying to shake Butch, who had apparently passed out, awake rather violently.

"Buttercup, stop doing that!" Blossom stomped over and swatted her sister away. She repeated the check of Butch's vital signs just as she did with Boomer. Buttercup watched closely with wide eyes.

"Well?"

Blossom shrugged. "He most likely passed out from stress. He'll wake up soon."

Buttercup raised an eyebrow. "Soon?"

The red leader walked back to Boomer. "An hour, give or take." Bubbles released her counterpart and allowed Blossom to survey him.

"Hmm.." A sly grin slipped over Buttercup's face. "An hour you say? How bout' now?" She brought her arm back with a chuckle and-

_SMACK_

"BUTTERCUP!"

"GAH!" Butch's head was thrown to the side and he put a hand to his cheek. "What the fuck was that for you bitch!"

Buttercup snickered. "Morning sleeping beauty."

Blossom shot a glare at her sister. "You don't just slap someone like that Buttercup."

The brunette tapped her chin. "Uhh, but I just did."

Bubbles let out a whine. "Stooop it, we need to help Boomie right now."

Blossom rolled her eyes but returned to the blue ruff, placing a hand to his forehead. "Stop calling him Boomie, Bubbles."

Said blonde crossed her arms. "No, I think it's cute!"

"And I think you're weird." Buttercup scoffed before returning to her bickering with Butch.

Blossom stepped away from the ruff, he was no longer shaking. "Bubbles..."

The blue puff hurried over and Blossom smiled. "What is it? Is he-"

"Urghhhh."

Bubbles face lit up. "Boomie!"

His eyes met hers. "Am I dead?"

She knelt down and took his hand in hers with a gentle smile. "No, you're perfectly perfect. Thanks to Blossy."

Blossom shook her head "Obviously if I put you up to the risk I'm wasn't going to let anything happen to you."

Boomer raised an eyebrow. "You mean like what you let happen to your sisters?"

She froze. "...w-what?"

"You heard me." He spoke again in a dark snarl. "Turn around."

Her brows furrowed, "Boomer, why-"

"_TURN AROUND!_"

She flinched back but did as told.

She instantly regretted it.

"Penguin got your tongue, arctic bitch?"

Impossible.

Her mouth fell open and she stumbled back. "Not again."

The figure sneered. "Oh? Have we met before?"

'Considering you're me, yes.' Blossom thought to herself, staring back at her cloned self. Its hair was a mess, its eyes were lined with circles of exhaustion, and there wasn't a hint of a smile across its lips, but it was her.

Blossom glanced over her shoulder but nothing was there, her sisters, the boys, they were gone, replaced with shadows. Just like this _thing's_ eyes. Just like Brick's.

"Mmm, poor Blossy. So confused," It stepped forward. "So lost," A chill crept over her skin as it neared and began to circle her. "How angry must you be that you've finally found a solution to save Brick and now here we are, starting back at square one?" Its breath tickled her neck, ice cold. "Because now it's your turn."

She jumped away and grit her teeth. "What do you mean it's my turn?"

The figure lifted its chin, a hubristic glimmer in its dark pink gaze. "You've been tainted as well." And then it grabbed her, latched onto her arm, nails biting through her skin, and slammed her to the ground with enough force to shatter the tiles. The air left Blossom's lungs from the impact and she gasped, only to have her ribs crushed down as the figure crawled on top of her. It caught her chin with its clawed hands and pulled a face. "You are most certainly a downgrade."

Blossom wrapped her fingers around its wrist with a growl. "Get. The fuck. OFF OF ME!" She reared her arm back for a punch but the thing snatched her fist and pinned it to the ground.

"You idiot." It leered down at her. "I _am _you. I know all of your moves, your thoughts, everything. You can't fight me, it's pointless to try." It raked its nail across her cheek with a bored scowl. "And to answer your most pressing concern: you inhaled some of the particles of Him's heart and due to your disparate chemical makeup, you needed very little in order to alter your mind. I already have partial control," It leaned down. "And a silly little blood transfusion can't get rid of me."

Blossom squirmed. "How can that be possible!"

The grip on her chin strengthened. "Most likely because of your feeble and piteous nature." Its nails dug deeper. "Very disappointing to say the least."

Blossom curled her fists. "Stop talking about me that way because whatever I am, you are too, if you're really me."

It scoffed. "_If?_ Who else would I be? You saw this whole thing happen to your boyfriend already, you believe the same can't happen to you?" Its fingers went around her throat but she didn't flinch. "Because trust me, whats about to happen to you will be much, _much _worse."

She glared back at her clone and once again attempted to get away but was once again caught.

Her clone slammed Blossom's arms down with a snarl. "You're going to die soon you little bitch, so savor life while you still can." And then it got to its feet and began to walk away. "Oh, and one more thing," It turned around. "Savor your family too, because they're going to hell with you." And then it raised its leg and slammed it into the side of her head.

* * *

_"Blossom?"_

_"Leader girl, wake up!"_

_"Is she breathing?"_

_"Go get the fucking doctor!"_

_"God damnit!"_

Blossom released a groan as her eyes fluttered open and immediately grabbed her aching head, the shouts were giving her a migraine. "Shut up!"

She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times. Why was there no sound all of a-

"Bloss?" She stiffened at the pair of crimson eyes boring into her own as well as the arms that were holding her up. She opened her mouth and then snapped it shut. Why were they on the...ground...and why was everyone standing around her...looking semi-terrified...and why did her face feel wet and...what the fuck was going on?

"Oh my god, Blossy! Are you okay?" Bubbles fell to her knees beside her and Blossom blinked again.

"Um, yes? But uh, what exactly happened?" She asked, addressing the whole group.

Buttercup stepped into the picture. "You fell over and went unconscious just as Brick was waking up so...as you can imagine...it was utter chaos."

Blossom looked to Brick with wide eyes. "You're...back to normal?"

He nodded. "Don't even have the powers anymore."

She smiled and swung her arms around his shoulders as they got to their feet, pulling him into a hug. "I missed you."

He pulled her close and whispered into her ear. "And I love you."

She faced him with a grin before turning to the other boys. "How are you guys?"

Butch looked down at his bleeding and swollen arms with a shrug. "I mean, I could use a band aid, but other then that I'm good."

Blossom gasped and stretched Brick's arms out. They were bleeding as well.

"We panicked and sort of just ripped them out so we could help you." Brick admitted.

She shook her head and hurried to grab cotton balls and tape. "You could have bled out."

Brick said nothing as she bandaged his arms and hands and only watched as she moved on to his brothers.

Buttercup, however, folded her arms and leaned against the counter, eying her sister suspiciously. "So...why'd you pass out anyways?"

Blossom paused mid bandaging and felt her stomach sink. 'Oh no...' And it all came flooding back. Her clone, Him's warning, the claws, the eyes, and most importantly, her clone's words. _"Savor your family too, because they're going to hell with you."_

And yet again, she had no idea what to do.

She looked down at Boomer's bloodied arm and saw herself slicing his throat, slicing Butch's throat, her sisters' throats, and Brick's. Before she finished herself off.

The color drained from her face.

'Fuck.'


	24. Chapter 24

A week passed and things began to regain a sense of normalcy. The blood transfusion had proven successful: Brick no longer struggled with an inner demon and his brothers were perfectly fine. One side effect of the transfusion, however, was that none of the boys had any of Him's powers. Brick's dark magic and mind reading abilities were gone. Blossom supposed that was for the best, although truthfully she was just glad Brick could no longer hear her thoughts. Her sisters had been slightly put off by the entire situation but eventually let it drift into the past. Bubbles and Boomer went on their first date, and according to the lipstick stains all over Boomer's face that Brick told her he had come home with, she guessed it went off without a hitch. Even Buttercup and Butch were warming up to each other and were now able to hold a genuine conversation that didn't evolve into a fistfight. Things were seemingly going smoothly. The only problem that still challenged their lives, however, was Blossom. Although only she knew about that.

Day and night, she would wring her hands and try to calm her thrumming heart, knowing that her evil clone would visit her again, and it did. Everyday. Sometimes she would only hear its voice, other times she would see the evil twin, but most of the time she passed out and awoke in a dark room where her clone was waiting. Fortunately, she could feel when she was about to faint and would excuse herself from the eyes of her siblings before it happened. Eventually, she was able to get a handle on ignoring the voice and fighting through the hallucinations, but she knew it was getting worse. Slowly and surely, she knew she would end up like Brick. The only difference being that she had no solution. As her clone said, and continued to remind her: a blood transfusion can't get rid of it.

"Well, it usually worked better when I was angry but then I had no control. I could do small things such as lifting books or glasses, but even then I couldn't contain the rage. It always came out, no matter what. Anytime I used dark magic." Brick crossed his arms with a thoughtful sigh and looked over at her.

Blossom had asked him how he had used his dark magic, back when he still had it. She was desperate to try it, to understand just exactly how similar she was reacting to Him's...er...essence, compared to Brick. She needed at least an idea as to where she stood. Was she in shallow waters? Or deep shit?

"Why do you ask?"

She shrugged, averting her gaze. "Just curious. Now that you're back to normal, I feel like I can actually ask questions without upsetting-" She paused and bit her tongue. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

He smiled. "Its fine, Bloss, we've talked about this, remember?" He took her hands and she looked up at him. "I regret everything I said and did to you in those few weeks, I didn't mean any of it and I would never wish to hurt you. And you've already forgiven me and apologized for hitting me in the head with a fridge. So, just like that, its all fixed. We can talk about what happened, you don't need to worry about hurting me. Okay?"

She smiled back at him with a nod. "Okay."

He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and squeezed her hands. "I gotta go help Boomer make dinner, apparently your sister is eating over and he wants it to be _extraordinary_." She giggled. "Maybe I'll see you later?"

She tapped her chin. "Hm, I don't know I'll have to-"

_"Canceling again? Big surprise."_

She cleared her throat, "Um, yeah, maybe."

She saw his face flash with suspicion but he quickly hid it. "Okay, well, bye for now then." He leaned forward and she pressed a kiss to his cheek. A light blush warmed her nose and Brick laughed. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

He flashed her a grin and then the door closed, leaving her alone in the house. She glanced down at her hands and then to the basement door.

"Maybe I could just test it out."

_"Good idea, then you'll go on a psycho rampage while no one is home, keeping all of this a secret just like you tried to do with Brick and look how well that turned out."_

Right...Buttercup was still on uneasy terms with her due to the miscommunication. She didn't like being left out of anything and the fact that Blossom had told Bubbles about Brick before she told Buttercup inflicted a wound, especially on her ego. Blossom knew from the start that she should have told both of her sisters, but her head had been such a mess at the time and well, Bubbles had just _been_ _there_ and so she ended up spilling the secret to her blonde sibling instead. However, she was not keeping this one a secret from Buttercup. She would tell them both, together, just not right now. First, she needed some time to think and test the waters. And to get this annoying bitch to shut up.

_"You do realize I can hear all of your thoughts?"_

Blossom growled, "Yes, I am aware." She threw open the door and hovered down the stairs, wandering into the training room. The doors slid shut and she turned to the key pad.

_"Locking yourself inside because you know you'll lose control?"_

"No, because I know how dangerous dark magic is. I'm not worried about my control."

_Hmhm_

What sounded like a distant chuckle rang through her ears and she grimaced. She finished typing in the password and walked over to the middle of the room. Sticking a hand into her pocket, she grabbed her phone and pulled it out. Then she extended her arm and pictured an image of the phone lifting into the air.

"It's not going to work you idiot."

The phone fell from her hand and clattered to the floor as she jumped back from the suddenly visible clone. Her eyes narrowed at it.

"Why not?" She snapped.

It scooped up the fallen device and tossed it between its hands. "Because you don't have dark magic, only me."

A sigh escaped Blossom's lips and she rubbed her brow. "Who even are you?"

The clone focused its dark glower on her and carelessly tossed the phone behind itself. Blossom grit her teeth as her phone hit the wall, its screen shattering. "I'm a projection from your mind that is indited of rage, just like Brick's. The particles of Him's heart that you inhaled traveled to your brain and tweaked it, like the almighty Mongolian emperor Genghis Khan with China. He arrived, he reconstructed, and he conquered. The _darkness_ still reigns within you, but not dark magic. As I said before, your composition is entirely different from your counterpart's, therefore Him's pith altered you in a different manner. Quite honestly, a _worse_ manner."

Blossom frowned. "How so?"

Her twin crossed its arms with a bored roll of the eyes. "The darkness traveled to your brain much quicker than it did with Brick, although it takes the same amount of time to 'take control', it's already gone from your bloodstream, meaning a blood transfusion would do you no good."

Blossom narrowed her eyes. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

A pair of pink eyes flashed with malevolent intent. "Because...the longer you stay here, the more your sisters freak out."

She blinked. "What?"

It shoved her back and she hit a wall. A finger was jabbed into her sternum. "You better hurry up, little bitch, because times ticking. It won't be long now until you're all mine." And then with a vicious snarl, it slammed Blossom's head against the wall and she saw stars.

* * *

When her eyes fluttered open, she found herself lying in the middle of the kitchen with a pair of heads hovering over her and a throb underneath her skull. She pressed a hand to her temple with a hiss.

"What happened?" She asked her sisters.

Bubbles placed a hand on her back and helped her sit up. "Well me and Buttercup just got home from the mall and we walked into the kitchen and found you here. So we tried to wake you up."

Blossom groaned and got to her feet. "How long have I been out?"

"From what we know, five minutes." Buttercup answered.

Bubbles handed her sister a glass of water. "Are you okay?"

The pink puff nodded. "Side effect of the recent stress this past week I guess." The lie slid so naturally over her tongue. "I think I'm fine now, though." Despite her words, she frowned. She hadn't passed out like this since the day at the hospital, she could always tell when she was about to lose consciousness. This time, however, she didn't even know she had fainted until she woke up.

_"Times ticking."_

"Maybe you should go get some rest." Bubbles suggested.

Blossom shook her head and strode into the living room. "I think I slept for long enough."

Buttercup cocked an eyebrow as she followed her. "You count passing out on the kitchen floor sleep?"

Another ache rocked against her skull.

"Yeah Blossy, that's not very healthy." Bubbles pitched in, joining the two.

Blossom ignored her and searched the coffee table for her laptop. She still had some serious homework to do, pertaining to a certain evil clone who's presence she could feel even now.

_"Obviously. I'm a part of you, so I'm always here."_

"Speaking of health, have you eaten yet today?"

Blossom lifted up the couch cushions in pursuit of her computer. "Yes, Buttercup. Why wouldn't I have?"

Said brunette focused a steely gaze on her. "Oh really? What did you have then?"

The pink puff paused. "An apple...or something, god I don't remember Buttercup! Why does it matter?" Actually, now that she thought of it, she wasn't entirely sure that she had eaten yet.

"Because," Buttercup stated. "We had a talk with Brick yesterday and apparently you've been losing weight."

_"Judgmental much?"_

Blossom scoffed, "And he would know that how?"

Buttercup scoffed back, "Um because guys pay attention to girls' bodies? Duh. He's noticed you've been getting thinner."

_"We could do without the attitude."_

Blossom grit her teeth and dropped to her knees, continuing her search. "Okay, so maybe I've forgotten a couple of meals, but these past few weeks have been stressful and relentless. I apologize if I am unable to mark eating as a number one priority lately, but seriously: _I'm fine_." Not true. A complete lie. But as she had said before, she needed time to think.

_"Yeah, sure,_ think. _We both know you're going to continue bullshitting them, solidifying the distrust they feel towards you and breaking that sweet little 'sisterly bond' you have going there. What a great leader."_

"No, Blossom, you're not fine. You've been acting real strange ever since that transfusion." Buttercup argued.

Blossom rolled her eyes, "Whatever Buttercup." And then she noticed her sisters' shopping bags sitting by the front door. She tilted her head. "Bubbles, didn't you tell me you were going to show me everything you got from the mall?"

The blonde puff's face momentarily brightened, "Oh yeah I!-wait." She crossed her arms with a huff. "Don't try to change the topic."

Buttercup narrowed her lime glare. "See? You're dodging the conversation. You're hiding something, leader girl. Fess up."

_"So much dishonesty. So many lies. Betrayal and pain flows off of her in waves. You've hurt her once, what's another?"_

Heat rose up her throat and she growled. "Shut up."

Buttercup stood behind the couch. "Shut up? You're telling me to shut up? When I'm trying to help you!?"

"Blossy thats not nice."

_"You think that's mean? What about when she left you to die?"_

A bitter taste filled her mouth and she bit back her words. Everyone just needed to shut up. Just give her a minute to-

"Do you have any idea what these past weeks-no, these past MONTHS have been like for us!?"

Stop.

"We can't afford to have our leader shut down like this!"

_"Shut down? Heh, wait until you see what comes next."_

No. Shut up.

"Buttercup..." Bubbles tried.

"Life is tough, Blossom, okay!? But as our sister you should be able to talk to us!"

_"But do you even still consider them your sisters? Because you sure don't act like it."_

"That's not true." She muttered, pulling her hands through her hair and wishing she could yank back the skin on her skull and all of the thoughts along with it.

Buttercup didn't even hear her. "I guess I'm not surprised though. You've always tried to hide your problems from us, so worried that you'll hurt us. But you wanna know what hurts most?" There was venom in her voice as she spit out the next words. "Being a second priority."

"I already explained why I kept Brick's dark magic a secret from you." Blossom could barely hear her own voice against the three others.

"Oh shit, that's right! Because you _never got the chance_. Yeah, sure. More like I wasn't worth the effort. Brick before me, right?" Buttercup's face was red.

"Buttercup!"

_"That's exactly right, actually. However, even Brick isn't that important to you. Seeing as how you've been paying him no attention since the transfusion, always too caught up on yourself."_

"I never wanted to believe it, leader girl, but I guess it's true after all. You love Brick more than your own goddamn sisters."

"She never said that Buttercup! Stop it!" 

"She doesn't need to say it, Bubbles! Open your fucking eyes! She never tells us anything anymore! Haven't you ever wondered why?"

"Because she's busy Buttercup!"

"Busy? BUSY!? NO BUBBLES, IT'S BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T LOVE US ANYMORE!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Blossom roared as she finally caught hold of the laptop and hurled it over her head.

_CRASH_

Bubbles and Buttercup had to duck out of the way to avoid the projectile device as it smashed into the wall, splitting into two and leaving behind a large crack. The two girls looked to their sister with wide eyes.

The pink puff's face was a startling crimson and her eyes weren't just glowing, they were blazing, full of pure, red, hot rage. She took a step around the couch, and her sisters noticed that her body shook with each breath, as though she was about to collapse.

"Anything _else_ Buttercup?" She literally spat, saying her sister's name like it was a curse.

Both girls shrank back and Buttercup shook her head.

Blossom continued towards them with a sharp sneer, her knuckles going white as she clenched her fists.

"U-uh um, I-I think we should g-go, Buttercup." Bubbles muttered, tugging on her sister's arm.

The brunette slowly began to back away towards the front door, but Blossom only followed.

"I'm scared." Bubbles whimpered as she began to tremble.

Blossom narrowed her eyes with a low growl, "Scared?" She raised a shaking, glowing fist and both girls gasped. "You want to see scared?"

Buttercup threw her arms out in front of Bubbles, taking a protective stance in front of her. "Lea-Blossom, I really _really_ think you should get some rest, please."

The pink puff opened her palm and a flame engulfed it. The heat reached both sisters' faces, scorching them red. Blossom was silent as she moved closer to the terrified girls.

"Buttercup, w-what's happening?"

Said puff ushered Bubbles back with a gentle shove, never taking her eyes from Blossom, who's glare was darkening with each step, a wild, empty glaze covering her eyes. Blossom pulled her arm back with a snarl. Buttercup saw what was coming and crossed her arms over her face. Bubbles cowered back with a cry. Blossom's lips stretched into a sadistic grin.

And then a tear slid down Bubbles' cheek. Blossom saw it, and her gaze went wide. A gasp escaped her lips and she stumbled back as though she had just been shot, arms going limp and disintegrating the flames. Her face paled and she looked from her sisters, down to her shaking hands, horror replacing the rage.

"Y-you guys should leave." Blossom whispered, but they didn't budge.

Bubbles reached her hand out towards her, "Blossom, what's-"

The rage shot back up her throat and she released an ear splitting roar, "GET OUT!"

They jumped at her shout and looked at each other.

"Bubbles, lets go." Buttercup caught her sisters arm and pulled the two of them away from their leader. Blossom looked up and watched them bolt out the door in a flash of green and blue, hearing Bubbles' cries as they went. Her heart began to pound against her ribs in sharp, painful beats and she took a shaky step back, chest rising and falling with each erratic breath, before turning and running. Dull tears splashed down her chin as she threw open the basement door. Her foot slipped on the third step and she didn't have the mind to fly as she tumbled down the stairs. Her forehead collided with the floor with a sickening thud, erupting a pain in her head that had been waiting to arrive. She scrambled to her feet and raced to the training room. Her fingers trembled crazily as she entered the code and as soon as the doors slid apart, she flung herself inside and sealed them back together. Her head fell against the wall and she began to cry, a desolate ache filling her stomach. She opened her eyes against the stinging tears and watched them fall from her face and meet at the ground, merging into a salty puddle at her feet. A sob ripped through her dry throat but she bit back the next one.

"Weak."

"Go away." She forced the words through clenched teeth.

"Scared."

Her hands went over her ears.

"Small."

But the voice was in her head.

"_Pathetic_."

"SHUT UP!" She whipped around and threw a fist at her target, but it was instantly caught in the clutches of an unamused red head.

"This is proving easier than I predicted." The disgusting clone spoke. It tossed her hand away like swatting a fly and Blossom grimaced. "You have a day at most, and then it's game over. Your sisters will die, the ruffs will be made into slaves that will assist in destroying the rest of the world which will most likely only take a few hours and then I'll leave the wasteland that I created behind to seek out a planet more fit for my personal preferences." It clenched its fist. "A planet that can withstand my rage." A sneer pulled its lips back. "_Our_ rage."

Blossom shook her head. "No, no I won't allow that."

It raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you have a say?"

The pink puff stared at her clone. "I don't-I have to-" She dropped her head. "Leave me alone."

The clone squatted down and lifted Blossom's chin with an eerie gentleness. "Daw, gibbing up aweady? The gweat Pow-ah-puff weader defeated by her own whittle cwone? How sad." The childish way it spoke irked Blossom and she shoved its hand away.

"_Go away_." She growled.

It chuckled, but did not smile. It was like the laugh came from somewhere else and this thing standing in front of her was frozen. It was a horrifying sight. "I am a part of you, _princess_, I can't go away."

Blossom clenched her fist. "Don't call me that."

It tilted its head with a fake pout. "Oh? Why not? Does it bring back bad memories...babe?" It fluttered its eyelashes. "Oh dear, who could have possibly called you that before?"

Blossom turned away from her twin and touched the keypad.

"And where do you think you're going?" It was right behind her and leaning into her shoulder, its cold breath slipped down her shirt and she shivered.

"I need fresh air...and silence." Blossom stated and waited for the doors to open.

"Hm, me too."

Blossom shot a glare over her shoulder and stepped out of the room, letting the doors close behind her. But then something happened that made her jaw fall open.

It walked right through the solid doors behind her, sliding past them as though they weren't even there. Like a ghost. Like a hologram.

It scoffed at her bewildered expression. "You seem surprised. What for? I already told you I'm simply a figment of your imagination, a projection of the emotion which you keep locked up more than any other, the emotion that you fear most because it is the most powerful and consuming." Its eyes widened with hunger. "I may be able to hit you, but it leaves no marks. I haven't actually hurt you, its like when you're in a dream, you feel the pain in your dream but wake up unharmed. Is that so difficult to comprehend?"

Blossom instinctively shook her head but in her mind she couldn't piece together even half of the puzzle. Everything was a mess, that's all she knew.

_BZZZZ_

_BZZZZ_

"Not again." Blossom grit her teeth as she yanked her phone from her pocket and glared down at the message.

"Oh? Another robbery? And at the same bank as last time? How convenient!"

Blossom ignored the droning twin and flew upstairs. Her sisters had run off and who knows where the boys were, she might as well take care of this by herself. Ever since her return to Townsville, Blossom's phone had been reinstated as the main hotline so all alerts went to her. It was a decent system, however, she had been needing to discuss connecting the alerts to her sisters' phones with Ms. Bellum.

"But then they could fuck it up." Her clone drawled. "Say Buttercup saw the alert first and was in a bad mood, she might go alone and without your supervision who knows what she'd do."

"She went months without my supervision and did just fine with her temper. I trust her." Blossom retorted and threw open the front door, taking to the sky. It was already getting dark.

Her clone flew beside her. "Which is why you didn't tell her about Brick. Right."

"Shut up."

It shrugged carelessly. "It's the truth. Your sisters aren't responsible enough to handle it." It drew closer to her. "Doesn't that bother you?"

Blossom dipped down into the alley beside the bank. "Does what bother me?"

The clone trailed behind her. "That you can never rely on your sisters to do anything right. That you have to hold their hands through every step of the way. Sure, you're their leader, but you're not their _mother_."

Blossom bit down on her tongue, sending a hiss through her teeth. She did not want to have this conversation.

"Well, I mean, no one is forcing you to."

The throb returned and she pressed the heel of her palm to her brow. "Can you just be quiet for a few seconds? I have to take care of this."

Her twin crossed its arms. "Go ahead, princess."

The nickname sent another sharp pain through her skull but she shook it off and stalked forward. The alarm was going off inside the bank and police cars had gathered outside, but they were all seated in their vehicles. 'What the hell are they doing? Can they not get off of their lazy asses for one second!?' She groaned and forced the negative thoughts back. Now was not the time.

"So if the cops are here then that must mean the robbers ran. Which means _I_ have to find them." She rolled her eyes but took off anyways.

It didn't take long to find the culprits, seeing as they were anything but light on their feet and pounding down the alley way screaming to each other, knocking cans and trash bins over in the process. But upon finding them, Blossom felt her blood boil.

It was the Gangreen Gang..._again._

"Duh, hey boss where are da pow-ah-puff girls?" The fat one, Billy blubbered before tripping over himself and hitting the ground.

The skinniest one, Snake, ran back for him with a panicked hiss, "Yeahs, bossss." His reptilian tongue flicked out between his lips. "Didn't yous ssssay that we's was gonna takes down the blue one-ssss."

Blossom narrowed her eyes and snapped her gaze to the tallest member, Ace, who at some point had outgrown Billy. He turned around, bringing the gang to a halt and snapped his fingers. "Ay! I told ya idiots not to talk about that shit out here. Ya wanna be overheard and end up ruinin' the plan?"

"Yous means the plan to kill the blue Powerpuff?"

Ace smacked Snake across the face. "What'd I just say!?"

"Sounds like you just said you have a plan to kill the blue puff." Five heads simultaneously whipped around and Blossom floated to the ground in front of them. She crossed her arms. "Care to explain?"

Ace's green skin paled. "Aw, Blossom, ya heard us wrong. That wasn't our plan, ya see we was just-RUN!" The gang turned their backs to her and tried to take off but Blossom was quicker and flew ahead of them, forming a wall of ice to block them. She grit her teeth.

"You idiots never learn, do you?" Her fists curled at her sides. These morons, these pathetic pieces of shit, wanted to harm her sister. How _dare_ they even put her sister's name on their despicable tongues. "I've put you behind bars too many times before and yet here we are again. I'll give you one final opportunity, because I'm a merciful leader..." Flames licked up her arms, reflecting in the widened eyes of the gang. "Get the fuck out of town, never speak about my sisters or any of Townsville again, and I'll spare your life."

The gang shared a glance and then broke into laughter. Blossom had to hold her breath to keep calm. Ace carelessly took his sunglasses from his face and carefully tucked them into his leather jacket. His creased eyes met hers, challenging her authority. A coy smirk curled his disgusting lips. "Sweetheart, your threat is meaningless. Superheroes ain't allowed to kill citizens. Not to mention," He snapped his fingers again and the others gathered at his sides. "It's five against one."

She didn't know why, nor what it was that he said that set her off, but a sudden furious, malevolent rage consumed her and before she could process her thoughts, she had Ace by the neck and was throwing him through a brick wall. When the others came at her, she took her time pummeling each of them, one at a time.

Her knuckles cut through a jaw and the crack that sounded could have come from her own hand, but she felt nothing. Nothing except for hot fury.

Billy ran at her and she drove her knee into his groin, causing him to sink to the ground and directly into her swinging leg. Her foot met his skull and he hit the ground with a thud. Snake's arms came from behind and she grabbed them, yanking him over her head and to the cement. She turned to Arturo and lifted him into the air, tossing him up, and then using a roundhouse kick to launch him into the already broken wall. Grubber leaped forward but she side-stepped and caught the collar of his shirt, delivering three solid blows to the center of his face. He too collapsed to the ground. She wiped her bloodied knuckles on her pants.

"It wasn't a threat, it was a statement. Unfortunately, you missed your opportunity...so now..." She strode over to Ace and lifted him up, energy dancing across her arm and flickering in her eyes. "You die."

The energy clustered within her palm and pink tendrils warped around it. She raised her arm. Ace whimpered, "No, no please. Please, I beg ya!"

She scoffed, "Beggars can't be choosers, asshole."

Her arm shot forward.

And was yanked back with enough force to throw her to the ground. She gasped as her head collided with the cement.

"Get out of here, now." A voice ordered.

Her nails scraped against the gravel, anger was no longer rising up her throat, it had consumed her entire being and she wanted to see blood. 'They threatened to harm Bubbles, how dare-no, NO, they need to be dealt with. I need to kill them, teach them a lesson! NO!' She turned her head and growled, they were getting away, they were fucking getting away!

"GET BACK HERE YOU SON OF A-!" She jumped to her feet but was once again yanked back by a brute strength. She whipped around, ready to strike.

"Blossom, what are you doing?"

She froze.

"Are you okay?"

"B-Brick?"

His hands were on her arms and he looked terrified. "Your sisters told me that something was wrong and I saw you leave the house. Bubbles was crying." His gaze flickered to the broken wall and then the ice. "Tell me what happened."

_"He seems to care more about your sister's well being than yours. Don't you think?"_

She tore herself away from his grip with a snarl, "Everything is always my fault, that's what happened."

Brick narrowed his eyes. "I don't think that's even half of what happened, considering what Buttercup told me." He crossed his arms. "You threw a laptop at them and tried to attack them?"

_"So now he trusts Buttercup more than you. Heh, at least now you know how she felt."_

The fury was nauseating and she felt her face go hot. "Why are you here?"

He moved closer to her, she held her ground. His red gaze was beginning to glow. "Blossom, something is wrong...with _you_."

She put a hand to his chest to keep him away.

He still towered over her, whispering into her face. "Why did you ask me about dark magic earlier?"

_"He doesn't even believe you now!"_

She sneered back at him, "I already told you why."

He leaned forward, pushing against her hand. "I don't believe you."

The heat shot through her entire body and reached her fingertips as she raked them across Brick's face in a solid blow that sent him backwards. He grabbed his cheek and stared up at her. She growled low in her throat, "Leave me alone."

"Listen, I-"

Her fist connected with his gut and she drove her knee into his nose, spraying blood across her leg. He cried out and fell to the ground. She stumbled away from him as quickly as she could.

He swiped at his mouth and got back up. "I won't just-"

Her body trembled as she delivered another blow to his face and he collapsed on his side. She dug her foot into his ribs before bringing it down on his throat. A tear fell down her cheek but evaporated before reaching her chin. She sucked in a shaky breath. "Fuck. Off. Brick." Her legs wobbled when she walked away and she began to cry the second she heard him get back up.

"Please listen-"

His plead was cut short by the energy beam that blasted him into the ice wall. His skull flew back and she heard the thud, a piece of her heart broke but she floated into the air anyways, turning away.

"Blosso-!"

She glanced over her shoulder at him with red eyes. "Good bye, Brick."

"NO, BLOSSOM!"

But she was already gone.


	25. Chapter 25

Something that Blossom had always prided herself in was her strong sense of self-control. As a leader, she needed to keep a cool head at all times and never let her emotions consume her logic. If she was under pressure, she would have to keep calm. If she was angry, she would have to act polite. If she was sad, she would have to force a smile. She forced discipline on herself in order to be the strong lead figure that her sisters needed. But sometimes that outer shell cracked and it seemed that now it had finally shattered, revealing all of the emotions she had bawled up for so many years, along with all of the thoughts. She curled her face into her knees and trembled, hot tears spilling down her face, the only words she could form were curses and even those couldn't assuage her rage. She was angry, sad, and fearful all at the same time. The anger was from her stupid actions and decisions which had led her to this situation, and the voice inside her head only continued to fuel the anger, making it grow every second. She was sad because she didn't know what to do and just wanted it all to be over. When would she get a chance to just be happy and normal for once? Problem after problem after problem, could she never catch a break? And then there was fear...the most overwhelming emotion she could feel. Fear that she wasn't strong enough to push away this inner demon. Fear that she would do something worse than just throw a laptop at her sisters and knock Brick down, which was already bad enough. Fear that she was going to succumb to her anger and destroy everything. Because she hated to admit it, but she knew, deep in her gut, that she could indeed destroy _everything_. There was no way her sisters and the boys could fend her off for long enough. They would be too hesitant to fight her, her sisters would be lost without her, and Brick was still trying to learn how to control his anger enough to be a strong leader so they would have no plan, no strategy, no clue of how to take her down. Not to mention they wouldn't want to. But Blossom knew she would be consumed by her evil clone and wouldn't give the others a chance for hesitation or feelings, she would take all of them to the grave with her if she had to. And that absolutely terrified her.

She never thought that she would be afraid of herself, but here she was. It was degrading on a level that even the biggest clown on Earth couldn't reach. A super-heroine leader, expected to command the strongest, greatest super hero trio in the world as well as a set of retired villains, the world's last and only hope should a threat greater than themselves counter their existence; afraid of herself. But what if the person meant to protect the world from the threat..._was_ the threat?

Blossom glanced over her knees and down at the enormous globe that sat thousands of miles away from her but looked near enough to touch. Her sisters, the boys, all of the citizens, they lived on that globe and needed her to protect them. They all needed her.

Her gaze fell to the sharp, pitted rock under her feet and she pressed her hand to it. The rock was cold, cold and hard, mostly made up of iron. She sighed. Soon that was what she would be like. Soon she would become corrupted, maybe she would feel like she was being controlled or maybe the demon would take over and she would just...die. It didn't matter what happened to her, what mattered was the safety of her family and the human race. She had to find a way to fix this, she refused to let the people she swore to protect die. But how? How!?

_Fssshhh_

"What the hell?" She scooted back as a tendril of red fog curled around her ankle and hissed across her calf. She turned her head. A cloud had rolled over her, covering the ground in a crimson mist. The weird fog lapped over her hands and she shot to her feet. It began to pull back and twist into itself, forming a pillar of smoke as tall as her. She took a step back and watched a figure take form within the mist. There was a grating cackle and then the fog fell away from the figure, dispersing into space. Upon recognizing the intruder, Blossom pinched her brow and collapsed back to the ground. "What are you doing here?"

Sharp stilettos clicked against the rock's surface and stopped right beside her. She didn't bother to look up at him. "I expected you'd be somewhat more delighted to see me."

She cringed at the split sound of Him's voice. "I don't really get excited to listen to repetitive lectures laced with hidden rhymes that are supposed to mean something important but take too damn long to figure out when you could just speak basic english like a normal person but you're a crab demon so I can't say I'm surprised...nor am I delighted to see you."

She felt his glare on her face. "I'm part lobster, you brat."

"Congratulations."

He scoffed, "What a despicable attitude." Red mist gathered around her legs once again and she assumed he was leaving. Then a blanket was laid out beside her.

She turned to him.

He sat down on the rather thick blanket and looked back at her. "What? I just had this dress washed." He said as he smoothed out the wrinkles on said attire. Disbelief momentarily crossed Blossom's face and then she curled herself into her knees again. Him noticed this and folded his hands. "I didn't come here simply to pester you, I know of your current... dilemma, and frankly want to help."

Blossom scoffed loudly and whipped her head around. "You want to help me? You should be happy that this is happening! Now you can finally get rid of me!" She clenched her fists. "Oh, no, wait, that's right! You want to kill me yourself so that's why you're going to help me!"

Him pressed a claw to his temple with a sigh. "You need to calm down, letting yourself get overwhelmed like this will only speed up the process."

She flinched at that and bit her lip.

_"You threw a laptop at them and tried to attack them?"_

No, no she didn't mean to, it was just that Buttercup had-

_"Bubbles was crying."_

T-that wasn't her fault. Bubbles always cried. S-she-

_She watched his head snap back and collide with the solid, .475 magnum resistant wall of ice she had created and grimaced at the dent Brick left behind. She saw the line of blood that followed him as he slid down. She saw the pain in his face. And yet, she still turned away._

_"Blosso-!"_

_"Good bye, Brick." _

_"NO, BLOSSOM!"_

She had no excuse for that.

_"Blossom, something is wrong...with _you_."_

Quite frankly, she didn't have an excuse for any of them, it was no one's fault but her own that she was too weak to withstand the demon consuming her mind. No one's fault but her own that she was too stupid to figure out a solution.

She was an idiot.

A narcissistic, pathetic idiot.

"Narcissistic, sure. Pathetic, occasionally. But an idiot you certainly are not."

She glanced up.

He offered a small smile, which on his face seemed more like a leer. "What other six year old knows that there is no square root for 7 because it is prime? Or can figure out how to evade Mojo's traps? Who else can find their way out of a fear-induced anti-realistic but entirely tangible dream that I myself conjured up?"

She wrapped her arms around herself with a sigh. He was right of course, she had always been a genius, always. No matter the situation. But now? "Things have changed." She muttered against her knees.

Him shook his head. "I don't think they have. Yes, you are clueless as to what to do. Yes, you were clueless with Brick before I stepped in. Yes, you are succumbing quite quickly, but why do you think I am here?" He brushed a rock from his blanket. "Had circumstances been changed and one of your sisters or the boys had needed to save Brick, he would have been corrupted and you would all be dead."

She winced. "Do you really have to say it like that?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "Yes."

"Well...okay...I mean if you're here to help then-?"

He put a claw up to silence her. "It's not so much helping you as it is me giving you advice. You still have to do everything on your own."

Her stomach instantly fell, but she didn't let it show on her face. "Okay."

Him leaned back on his claws, staring out at space, and said something that shocked her. "You know, most villains don't actually want you dead."

She blinked. "Huh?"

With the flick of a wrist, a cup of tea appeared before him and he took a sip from it, the nonchalant action drastically contrasting the current situation. "They just don't know who else to turn their anger on. I, for one, enjoyed playing mind games with you three. Especially you, because you actually brought forth a challenge. And what else could a demon like myself do with their time? Should you three die, I would be terribly bored."

He said it so casually.

Blossom followed his gaze and looked at the speckled darkness. "So then why did you bring back the boys?"

Him paused and a look of awe momentarily rested on his face. He placed the cup on the ground beside his leg and folded his claws with a dignified sigh. "The same darkness that you struggle with consumes me as well, and sometimes it wins." He shook his head dismally, "I can't say that I'm proud of my times of vulnerability, nor am I sure of its recurrence, however, there is one thing that I am sure of," He turned to her, "There is a way to defeat it."

She let her knees fall away. "There is?"

He nodded. "Fight it, and win."

She considered his words for a moment and then her face began to fall. "Fight it?"

His sharp yellow irises landed on her. "You must summon your illusionary self, your alter ego." His voice darkened. "But beware, because when you summon it, a pathway is opened for it to take control. You can not allow it to take control, you must focus. Kill it, and you kill the darkness." She frowned. "It's some psychological demonology bullshit." He stated.

Kill it? She stared down at her hands, at the marks left behind by Brick and Him, still visible but fading into a brown scar, alongside the faint scratches left behind by the barbed spikes of the monster she had fought. But there were none from her evil self. "But how, how do I kill it when I can't even...when it can't even...really...touch me?"

Him's face sharpened. "Because the darkness is taking its own living form inside." He pointed at his chest and she pulled her knees back to hers. "Your clone is no longer a mere illusion."

"So then..." She ran her fingers over the scars. "It can kill me?"

He nodded. "It can, and it will do whatever it takes to do so, so keep your guard up. You have to let go of everything, of every thought and feeling, except for anger."

She whipped her head around. "Anger!?"

Him gave her a knowing glance and got to his feet. Her brows knit together as he offered her a claw. Blossom stared at it in speculation, wonder, before she slowly lifted her hand and gasped as she was pulled to her feet. He narrowed his eyes. "You have to listen closely, we're running out of time, as I feel we always are." He glanced to the side momentarily, thinking.

"Him?"

He closed his eyes and when they opened, she saw real fear within them. "It embodies anger so if you hold onto that emotion then it can not read itself. But you must be careful, should it find your weakness, should you falter by even a hair, it will pounce and tear you to shreds. It will be a battle for control, channel your inner stability as all leaders must in the midst of chaos. Do you understand?"

She nodded.

"This may be the most important battle you ever fight, it will be the hardest. But remember, this determines _everyone else's_ destiny, so for Satan's sake: use your damn head." He set a claw on each of her shoulders and bent down slightly. "Do this for Townsville."

She clenched her fists, gathering what little remains of pride she could, and raised her chin. "I will."

She would do it for Townsville, for her sisters, for the boys, for Brick, for everyone. She had come this far, there was no way in hell she would lose now.

"I'm ready."

* * *

She had never thought about it before...but there was no such thing as silence, for even when a person is alone with no surrounding sounds, there is still the thrum of their heart and the whistle of air in their nose, the constant ringing in their ear, and the blood pumping through their veins, something one can only hear when in space, when they are the only sound for miles. Blossom had never heard the mechanics of her body as clearly as now, had never truly been able to feel the inner workings take on a mind of their own. She was disconnected from her inner self, her heart beat on its own, her stomach digested by its own free will, she had no say in any of it, she was not in control. But she had to be in control in order to summon her twin and defeat it.

She took a deep breath, focused on the idea that she was making the decision to take this breath, held it in for some time, resisting her bodies cries for release, and only did so when her heart joined into the cries. She let the air flow from her lips, analyzing the way the warm carbon dioxide brushed her skin. No human could be breathing like she was, for the vacuum of space would tear away their oxygen like candy from a baby and leave them with nothing, controlling them like little puppets. But she was no puppet. Her lungs, her body, _she_ was stronger than the vacuum and she would not let the darkness suck her in.

"I am in control." She spoke softly to herself. "I am in control."

Her hands steepled at her core, where she focused all of her energy, all of her emotions, before letting them go, except for one. She held tight to the fire in her stomach and let it rest momentarily. When she was ready, she would let it erupt, but first she needed to find her center.

_'A cool head is a smart head and you have ice breath.' _

She smiled at the Professor's old words. So deft and shrewd, he always knew what to say. He knew himself and he knew his daughters. If only he had known how much danger he had been in.

She grimaced at the tug on her heartstrings, the way her stomach began to sink. 'No, no, not now.' She couldn't think of the Professor, she couldn't be sad.

_"Pathetic."_

She sucked in a shaky breath, letting it flow out in a smooth stream.

_"Weak."_

Her fingers curled into her palms.

_"Selfish."_

A hero? Selfish? After all she had done for her sisters, the boys, Brick, the Professor, Townsville, EVERYONE?

She felt the heat rush to her cheeks.

_"Alien from Antarctica."_

So ungrateful. What respect. She had saved them all, and how do they repay her?

"Bug eyed freaks."

Blossom's head shot up, that voice wasn't in her head.

She jumped to her feet.

"Oh, no need to be in such a hurry, I have all night."

She turned around and immediately narrowed her eyes at the despicable clone which now stood in front of her with a sly smirk. It was confident, it knew it would win...no, it thought it would win, but Blossom had a news flash. "I would savor it if I were you because it'll be your last night_._"

The clone only snickered and began to saunter towards her.

Blossom squeezed her fists tightly, anger rising at the simple sight of her twin. "How are you here? I didn't summon you."

"Oh, but you did. Your thoughts could not escape the idea of me and so here I arose." It tilted its head, "Not quite in control yet, are we?"

She didn't respond.

"You know, I can see all of your memories." It continued forward.

Blossom could feel the flames slither up her arms. "I figured."

The clone's face softened and it began to speak in a sympathetic tone. "I know how much it must hurt, to watch a man as smart and determined as the Professor fall victim to his own passion." It shook its head sadly. "Radiation poisoning is such a painful way to go."

"Trust me," Blossom hissed. "Your demise will be much more gruesome."

"Now that's not very-" Her twin was forced to duck as Blossom launched a sphere of energy at its head, singing a few hairs. It jolted back up with a pair of wide eyes.

Blossom pushed her lip out in a pout. "What's the matter? I thought you could predict my moves."

Her clone brushed a piece of charred hair back and scoffed, "Him has always been such a simpering fool. He always falls victim to the tears of little girls. Disgusting." It shook its head. "Of course he would help you."

"You sound jealous," Blossom leered. "Or maybe even scared, because now we're evenly matched and you can't read my mind."

The twin cackled loudly, "Evenly matched!? Even without the ability to read your mind I can still predict your every move because you're just that _obvious_. Simple. Basic. Don't you remember how boring everyone always thought you were back in middle school?" Blossom paused. "You do, don't you?" The flames slowly retracted. "All your sisters wanted to do was play, but you were always too busy for them. Even now, you lack the enthusiasm to have fun. Poor little serious Blossom, who grew up with no friends. Will things ever change? Or will you simply die a carved out, empty shell of your once ebullient self?"

Memories of endless nights full of homework, paperwork, crime fighting, interviews, bills, and reports filled her mind and she could see her sisters standing nearby, begging her to join them for movie night, to have just one hour of her time, but she never obliged.

"Try hitting me now you pathetic fool." Its voice hissed into her ear and she threw her arm back, only to have it caught in a sharp grasp. A set of nails sunk into her skin and she ripped her arm away. "Can't read your mind, huh?" It cracked its fist so hard against Blossom's cheek that she momentarily saw stars and nearly fell over. It pulled its arm back and curled its fingers into its palm with a shit-eating grin. "You're such a sad person to watch live, but even sadder to watch die." Energy pulsed around its fist before it threw it forward at lightening speed.

And met its target.

_FWOOOSH_

The impact sent a shock wave over the rock, piercing the air with a deafening clap.

Magenta irises flared.

The clone's smile fell.

Blossom tightened her grasp around its fist, "No," she growled, "YOU are the pathetic fool." And then she grabbed the collar of the clone's shirt, lifting it off the ground and throwing it over her head in a flash of pink, sending it flying to the other side of the rock where an explosion of gravel erupted. Blossom met her twin and dropped down, full force, into its stomach. The clone's mouth opened and a cry of agony escaped from it. Blow after blow, Blossom drove her fists into its face before pulling it from the crater and slamming its jaw into a protruding edge of slate.

"You bit-!" The clone's words were cut short as a burst of energy threw it backwards. Its spine hit the ground and it flipped into a somersault, raking its claws along the gravel in search of purchase. A stream of cold vapor slipped from the corners of Blossom's lips and she hissed, the smoke freezing over her teeth. The clone dug its heels into the solid rock and snarled viciously. "You're going to pay for that."

Blossom raised an eyebrow, challenging the twin to hold true to its words. It thrust its fingers into the ground, the sound of its nails snapping serving as a background to its wild pants. Blossom knew it wanted to attack, she could see the rage wafting from it in thick clouds.

"How is Brick doing, anyways?"

Blossom froze. "What?"

The clone rolled back up into a standing position with a slight shrug. "It's just that I have no idea how he's doing, even though I can see your memories." It hummed in disapproval. "Now that I think of it, I don't think you interacted with him hardly at all after his 'treatment'. It seems you were too caught up in your own affairs." Its eyebrows curved in a pained expression as it recalled. "After you all got home from the hospital, you forced the boys to go to bed without even checking on Brick. Then, the next day, he tried to talk to you but you slept through the entire day. Even the day after that, you refused to speak to him because you were just so exhausted." It clutched its chest. "Oh, but yet, your thoughts say that he is well and back to normal, that everything is fine. But there is no evidence to these thoughts, I see no images or memories, only your assumptions." A head tilt. "Is Brick really okay?"

A dull pinch pulled at her chest but Blossom took a deep breath. She had already scolded herself for neglecting Brick's and his brothers' well-being, it could not be helped at the moment, she knew that. It hurt to hear, but even more to hold onto; like a hot coal that you can cup in your palm as long as it continues to move around, but the second you let it sit still its orange skin begins to sizzle and melt away your own flesh. Blossom always had others' health in mind, or at least she tried to. Who did the clone think Blossom was doing this for? Certainly not herself. Blossom was going to kill this demon in order to protect everyone.

"And what if you die in the process?" Its bitter words rang through her ears. "What if I take you down with me?"

Death. It had never been so close to her. It had been close to others, she had witnessed the life leave other's eyes, but never herself. Had she even truly thought about it?

_"What if Brick had decided to kill me all those months ago?"_ She thought to herself. A smirk crept onto the twin's face. _"What if Blossom Utonium never came back?_ _Then what?" _

She frowned. So what if she never came back? She either died or everyone else did. They could survive without her, they were super-heroes after all, it wasn't like they were children who needed to have their hands held through life. Surely they could-

"Oof!" Blossom's eyes shot open with a gasp as a heel was driven into her stomach, throwing her backwards and into the rock with a hard thud. She grit her teeth upon landing and ended up snapping them down onto her tongue when a fist connected with her cheek. Blood quickly began to pool within her mouth and fill it with an iron venom.

"You're right, though." The clone's voice cooed as Blossom was lifted from the ground and slammed back down. The wind escaped her lungs. "No one would miss you, no one would fret over the absence of the pink puff." Again. Another gasp. "They would move on quite quickly. Actually, without you, their lives would be better than ever." Her head snapped back this time and hit the rock. She blinked away the stars. "But don't worry, they won't have to live without you anyways because I'm going to kill them right after I kill you." A malicious grin curled the clone's lips and a murderous twinkle flickered in its darkening glare as it once again lifted Blossom from the ground and wrapped its talons around her throat.

Blossom went stiff. "Did you..." She raised her chin to meet its eyes. "Just threaten..." Her fingers twisted over the clone's, the energy beginning to seep into her veins. "My...FAMILY!?" Her eyes blazed and an eruption of pink flames burst from her hands.

A scream slipped from the clone's lips as it pushed itself back to escape the flames. It stumbled and collapsed, releasing another cry as its back met a rock. Blossom strode over to the injured clone, watching as it slowly sat up, raising its trembling arms to assess the damage. Bright red patches of oozing flesh covered its limbs, resembling a chemical burn. Blossom bent down and clamped her hand over the burn. The twin seethed, hissing through clenched teeth but trying to hold back its vulnerability. Blossom met its steely gaze.

"Since I was a child, my only purpose in this world was to protect the human race. No matter where my head was, nor what situation I caught myself in, I only ever cared about the people, MY people." Blossom tightened her grip, the clone's nostrils flared. "It truly is the reason for my creation and the meaning to my existence. I must protect them until the day I die." She pulled the clone closer. "So yes, I may die today. You may dig your claws into my flesh and tear me away from this world, you may take me down to Hell with you and imprison me there for all of eternity but that matters little to me. The only thing I am concerned with is killing you, even if that means my death as well."

The clone's eyes widened, as though it was witnessing a revelation, an understanding that it had not seen before. Its body went slack in Blossom's grip and its expression faltered. "You really mean that, don't you?" Blossom tilted her head as the clone glanced to the side, something odd, almost innocent, flickering across its face, before it turned back to Blossom with a returned malevolence. "Fine then, lets go rot in Hell together bitch."

An elbow clocked her in the side of the head and she jumped back, catching the body that was thrown at her. She turned and slammed the clone to the ground as it tied its legs around hers, pulling her down with it. The clone's hands latched onto her shoulders and flipped them over so it was on top. Blossom snapped her head away as eye beams fired at her. She forced her knee into its gut and shoved it off, taking her place on top. She raised her fist and let the anger flow down to the tips of her fingers before driving it into the clone's face. Her knuckles connected with its cheek and a tooth flew from its mouth, a glob of blood splattering across her fist. She curled her fingers into the collar of its shirt and raised its face to her knee again and again and again until blood coated her skin.

"I'll fewking kill yew!" It snarled out at her with a mouthful of red liquid and then threw itself forward. Blossom twisted her body away in time to avoid being tackled but it caught hold of her ankle and dragged her down. A heel went into her spine and her arms were yanked back. She screamed as the bones began to crack from the bending. Just as she was sure her spine would split, her head was thrown to the ground. Nails grazed her skull and twisted themselves into her hair. It craned her head back and grinned, its bottom lip split down the middle, painting its teeth crimson. It brushed the stray hairs from her forehead before spitting a clot of blood into her face. Its grin widened. "Are you feeling okay princess? You don't look so good."

Blossom pulled her lips into a sneer, "Look who's talking."

The clone's grin vanished and it smashed Blossom's head back into the ground. Her nose made contact first and was mushed in with a sickening crunch. Her forehead hit second and a pain exploded in her skull, momentarily blinding her. When her head was pulled back up, blood squirted from her face like a fountain.

There was a chuckle, "Smile!" And her head was thrown back down.

Blossom's hands went out in an instant and she pressed herself up, resisting the clone's strength and holding her face from the ground before it could shatter her teeth. As soon as she got the leverage she needed, one of her hands shot out and wrapped around the clone's leg.

"GAAAAAHHHH!" A scream tore through the clone's throat as another burst of flames seared its thigh. Blossom took the opportunity to launch herself at it, crushing her forearm into its windpipe. The scream abruptly cut off into a gargled choke. "You will pay for tha-!" Blossom's fist silenced its threat and then she drove her knuckles into its stomach until it was gasping for air. Its arms flailed around, hitting her and throwing gravel at her, but she didn't feel a thing. Blossom returned to its face and pummeled it until bruises and blood struck it unrecognizable. She glared into its dark, raven eyes and rose to her feet. The clone made an attempt to crawl back up but Blossom slammed her foot into its chest. She held her hand to her side, a sharp slate of rock in it. The clone's eyes filled with maniacal glee and an insane chuckle rattled its throat. The chuckle split into a laugh and then it clutched its stomach, sputtered, and fell into a coughing fit. A spittle of blood flew back into its face and it groaned, collapsing to the ground.

"You pathetic, scared, weak little fool." Its coarse voice rasped. "You think that you've won, but you'll only return to a world full of hatred and horror. Your sisters, the boys, Townsville, they'll all have heard the news by now. They already know you've gone mad. The second you return will be the minute you die." Blossom pressed her foot down harder and it threw its head back.

"You can say whatever you like, demon, but I see you now. I see _your_ weakness, _your_ vulnerability, and most of all..." She stared into its narrowed gaze. "I see your fear. Someone in your position will try whatever they can to make a mark on this world before they leave it, but I am going to erase you, forever." She lifted the shard of rock and the clone's eyes seemed to fill with darkness. It made its final attempt to sit up but the wounds were too much and it could barely lift its head. Another rattle of coughs shook its body and flecks of blood painted Blossom's shoe.

It smiled up at her, a sinister smile filled with nothing but evil desire, and tried one last time, "It's much easier to be evil."

Blossom crouched down and returned the smile. "Yeah, well it's much more rewarding to be good and besides..." She pressed the slate to its trembling throat. "I don't do easy." And with a clean swipe, the flesh split, the demon's eyes widened, and the deal was finally sealed.

She waited for the life to leave its hollow face and then she leaned back.

The rock slipped from her hand, she watched it fall, then saw the empty body beneath her. "I-I did it." The words came out as near sobs and she got to her feet, a grin breaking across her face. "I really did it." She spun around and caught sight of the green and blue globe in the distance. The weight lifted from her chest, her sisters, the boys, they were safe. She looked down at her bloodied hands. She was alive. A laugh escaped her throat and she let the light tears slip over her cheeks. Things could finally go back to normal. They could all be happy. They could-

"Gah!" Her eyes flew open and she pressed her hand to her stomach as a sharp sting filled it. She pulled it away and stared at the fresh blood that tainted her skin. She had been stabbed? But when? How-?

The pain took the strength from her legs and she collapsed to the ground.

"No, no." She sucked in a sharp breath and cried out as the pain grew more intense. It was as though a knife had been freshly driven through her abdomen, and her throat, and her heart. She couldn't breath and her heart began to race. "No, please, I can't die now!" She tried to sit up but her body went slack. She was paralyzed up to her neck. "HELP! HELP ME!" Tears sprung from her eyes but these ones were devoid of happiness. She was so close, she had to see her sisters again, the boys, Brick. Was he okay? Were her sisters okay? The boys?

_Pathetic_

_Weak_

_Scared_

It was happening too soon, the darkness was closing in on her so fast. She had to do something! Her arms, they wouldn't move. She couldn't feel anything but pain.

"NO!" Her vision was going black, Earth, in the distance, fading away. She tried to scream again but nothing came out. She didn't want to die, this wasn't how it was supposed to be. She needed to know everyone was safe. She had to-to...she needed...

Her head lolled to the side and all she could see was the pitch black, empty void of space that her body was slowly slipping into. She tried to reach out and grasp for life one more time, but the pain and exhaustion were too much.

Her eyes fluttered and rolled back.

She knew her consciousness was slipping.

Her chest stopped rising and she could no longer hear the thump of her heart.

_'Please, give me one more chance, I need to tell them...that I...lo...'_

The darkness seized her, and she sucked in a final sharp breath, felt the last ache tear through her body. And then her head hit the ground with a thud.


End file.
